Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Following the NEET UG paper leaks, experts are demanding that National Testing Agency (NTA) be removed from conducting the examination.
The paper leak forced the cancellation of the May 3 examination, affecting 23 lakh candidates across the country including around 1.2 lakh students in Madhya Pradesh. The affected candidates will now take the re-examination on June 21.
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has filed a plea in the Supreme Court to replace the NTA. Doctors' bodies like FAIMA and Indian Medical Association (IMA) demanded that the responsibility of conducting the NEET UG exam be handed back to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to restore credibility and transparency.
Dr Ashok Khandelwal, vice-chancellor of Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University, Jabalpur, said, “The Central government should hand over the responsibility of conducting NEET UG to such an agency, which conducts the JEE examination.
Alternatively, BITS Pilani examinations are conducted directly by Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani themselves. It is the second time that NEET UG paper leaks have rocked the entire country after the NTA has been assigned the responsibility to conduct the examination.”
Dr Akash Soni, the FAIMA national spokesman, said, “Earlier, the CBSE, which conducts the Class 12 board examination, used to conduct NEET UG examinations and it was handling the entire process efficiently. No paper leak came to light, but since the NTA has been authorised, papers leaked on two occasions. It is a matter affecting 23 lakh students appearing in NEET UG.”
Dr Kuldeep Gupta, General Secretary of the Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors' Network (IMA JDN) for Madhya Pradesh, said, “It is best to hand over the responsibility to CBSE to conduct NEET UG for transparency as it has a sound system and has experience to conduct examinations.”
