NEET-UG row: Opposition spreading lies without knowing facts, says education minister Dharmendra Pradhan

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused Congress of playing with the future of students and carrying out petty politics.

Updated on: Jun 13, 2024, 21:05:46 IST

By HT News Desk

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Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday rejected allegations of paper leak or rigging in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG and accused the Congress of spreading lies without knowing the facts.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. (PTI)

“No concrete evidence of any kind of rigging, corruption or paper leak has been found so far in the NEET exam. All the facts related to this are before the Supreme Court and are under consideration,” Pradhan wrote on X. “The kind of politics being done on this issue is only an attempt to spread confusion and it affects the mental peace of the students.”

His comments came on a day the Supreme Court accepted the government’s suggestion for conducting a retest of 1,563 students, who got grace marks due to loss of time during the exam. The government said scores without grace marks will be considered in case of those who do not wish to take the retest.

Also Read | Explained: What is NEET UG result 2024 controversy? Why are students protesting?

A four-member committee formed to review the results of 1,563 students recommended the retest, which has been scheduled for June 23.

Earlier today, the Congress had demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the NEET-UG exam issue. The grand old party had said that there was anger in the country over the matter and that it would "reverberate inside Parliament as well".

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the award of grace marks was not the only problem in the NEET-UG exam and had expressed apprehension about paper leak, corruption and rigging in the examinations.

"There has been rigging, papers have been leaked, corruption has taken place. The future of 24 lakh students appearing in the NEET examination is at stake due to the actions of the Modi government," he alleged.

Also Read | Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan calls NEET-UG paper leak charges baseless

Responding to Kharge's allegations, Pradhan accused the Congress of playing with students' future and carrying out petty politics.

"The opposition is issueless, on such a sensitive issue the opposition is just spreading lies without knowing the facts. Congress is playing with the future of the country for its petty politics," he wrote on X.

"I want to remind the Congress that to prevent paper leaks and to conduct a cheating-free exam, the central government passed the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act this year, which has many strict provisions. Congress should not be under the misconception that if any nexus is found, no action will be taken against it. The provisions of this act will be implemented very carefully," the minister added.

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