NEET paper leak: Cong seeks relief for families of deceased students

Mangaluru: Congress on Saturday demanded compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET question paper leak controversy.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Ullal told reporters the BJP-led Union government failed to protect the integrity of the country’s education system. “Despite the question paper leak controversy coming to light, neither PM Narendra Modi nor Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has taken moral responsibility,” he alleged.

He said the cancellation of NEET due to the question paper leak had dealt a severe blow to public faith in the education system. He alleged the question paper leak scandal had shattered students’ dreams and pushed lakhs of aspirants into mental stress and uncertainty due to the failure of the Union govt and the National Testing Agency.

Demanding the resignation of Pradhan, Abhishek said he should immediately step down by taking moral responsibility for the lapses. He alleged that after the implementation of NEET in 2016, confusion and cases of question paper leaks have increased across the country..

Claiming that NEET question paper had leaked five times in the last 10 years, he alleged that many such incidents occurred when the BJP was in power at the Centre and in states. He demanded that the Union govt stop conducting NEET and instead allow states to independently conduct medical entrance exams, similar to Karnataka’s earlier CET system.

Abhishek also demanded a CBI investigation under the supervision of sitting Supreme Court judges and called for strict implementation of coaching centre regulations. He also demanded the immediate sealing of all illegal coaching centres allegedly linked to the NEET scam.

Meanwhile, Abhishek welcomed Karnataka higher education minister MC Sudhakar’s decision to conduct engineering counselling before medical counselling for seat allotment this year.