In the eye of the storm
What was conceived as a remedy for many ills a decade ago, has turned into a cradle of controversies and inconsistencies at this point in time. The NEET-UG 2024 results have, once again, come to attract harsh criticism, and the National Testing Agency (NTA) — responsible for conducting the NEET exam, among others — is finding itself in the eye of the storm. With allegations of discrepancies and malpractices running rampant, a petition was filed on June 9 in the Supreme Court seeking to recall the results and conduct a fresh examination. Following this, another writ petition has been filed under Article 32 of the Constitution in the Supreme Court, challenging the decision of the NTA to grant grace marks to students in the NEET exam. They have questioned the legitimacy of the ground of 'loss of time' in resorting to such action. Earlier, on May 17, hearing a petition seeking cancellation of the exam, the apex court had refused to stay the declaration of results.
The NTA, in particular, appears to be persistently losing its credibility when it comes to conducting NEET exams. Right since the beginning, there have been multiple issues plaguing the conduct of exams. Apart from the burning issue of paper leaks and alleged corruption, candidates from multiple states have highlighted the inherent systemic bias against students from state boards and non-English speaking individuals. Inaccuracies in translated papers have been a recurring phenomenon, to some degree or the greater. This is regularly flagged as one of the reasons for a considerable gap between students from state boards and CBSE boards in terms of securing higher grades. Students from marginalised sections deserve a level playing field to avail opportunities in the medical field. As if these inconsistencies were not enough, the involvement of well-organised third parties in facilitating corruption have broken the back of aspirants from underprivileged backgrounds.
As per news reports, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar police has implicated dozens of students and their family members for allegedly receiving the question paper and answers prior to the exam. Times of India reported the alleged candidates have themselves disclosed that their parents had paid Rs 30-50 lakh for the question papers. It is not very tough to comprehend that such crimes, apart from snatching away opportunities from deserving candidates, also imperil the very sensitive healthcare system of the country. The malpractices in this sector will have a direct bearing on safety and well-being of Indian citizens.
The toll on the minds of lakhs of students who flood coaching centres in Kota and elsewhere to pursue their aspirations, and realise the dreams of their parents, is profound. It is no surprise then that promising, innocent young individuals commit suicide on a regular basis. Though there may, or may not, be a very direct linkage between suicides and systemic flaws in examinations, it is certain that persistent irregularities play havoc in students’ minds. Furthermore, it would be naïve to believe that the alleged corruption is limited to low-level third parties. They usually have strong clout, and involvement of highly-placed authorities cannot be ruled out. In the present context, it is being alleged that declaration of results were preponed to make them coincide with General Election results — thus eclipsing any potential criticism around irregularities in the former. Going forward, the NTA and Education Ministry have much to answer. The system for NEET-UG exams has to be rethought. Perhaps, it is time to strike the right balance and restore greater control to states. Education, after all, falls under the state list. For now, much also lies in the hands of the judiciary.
