After the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination and the subsequent deaths by suicide of one student after another, massive outrage and widespread criticism have erupted. Amid this, the Central Government has taken major administrative steps. In an attempt to cleanse the serious stain on the credibility of the NTA, two new Joint Secretaries and two new Joint Directors have been appointed in the NTA, the agency responsible for conducting the examination. The suicides of students are being described as murders committed by the system itself, reflecting deep public anger. This is the first administrative reshuffle aimed at calming public outrage. Although Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has announced that the cancelled NEET-UG examination will be reconducted on May 21 and has also declared that the examination will be held online from next year, the paper leak and breach of confidentiality have completely destroyed the credibility of the National Testing Agency (NTA). A major reason behind the collapse of NTA’s reputation in the paper leak case is the arrest of two professors identified as masterminds, who were associated with the committee responsible for preparing NTA examination papers. This clearly indicates that corruption was deeply embedded within the NTA itself. The mafia turned out to be people connected to the NTA. Their links were tied to organized gangs, greedy and insensitive conspirators, who once again pushed the youth into despair and snatched away their hopes.
We claim to be a “Vishwaguru” (world teacher). In a country with such a massive population, we successfully conduct the census. Before elections, we work day and night to revise voter lists. We have established our dominance in space. We are preparing to send a human mission to the moon. Yet we are unable to conduct examinations without leaks. It is clear that black sheep are hidden within the system itself.
Therefore, the existing system needs to be completely overhauled. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has also spoken about fully implementing the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee formed to reform the NEET examination process. But the question is why these recommendations were not implemented earlier. It is said that one who has been burned by milk blows even on buttermilk before drinking it, yet despite repeated paper leaks, no steps were taken earlier. While some other examinations have already been made online, why was there such a delay in making NEET online? The NEET examination has been surrounded by controversies from the very beginning. Several states had opposed this format itself, but despite that, when it was implemented nationwide, the agency conducting the examination, the NTA, had to face serious blows to its credibility, and different kinds of allegations and controversies continued to emerge at regular intervals in a disappointing manner. These include the 2019 Tamil Nadu scam, in which students used impersonators to write the examination; the 2022 controversy in Kerala regarding the frisking of girl candidates; and the 2024 paper leak and grace marks controversy.
With the help of paper leaks, four children from the family of a young leader in Rajasthan became doctors. This makes it clear how talented the country’s doctors will be. Doctors are considered equivalent to gods for patients. If they passed by purchasing leaked question papers for lakhs of rupees, then can such a class be spared? The blow inflicted on the future of 2.3 million students is unbearable. Among these lakhs of youth, many talented and capable individuals may have had the ability to become expert doctors who could have saved millions of lives. It is possible that parents took loans to support their children’s preparation, but the mafia shattered their dreams into pieces.
The question also arises that paper leak mafias and cheating mafias have been caught earlier too, but how many of them have actually been punished till today? On whom has a permanent ban been imposed? There is no answer to this. Big mafias are out on bail, and the cases are stalled. After the suicides of students, another extremely sensitive aspect has emerged — the mental health of students and the role of parents. A debate has started in the country about how parents should protect their children from depression in such circumstances. It is said that failure is the stepping stone to success. Cancellation of an examination or failure in an examination is not the end of life. At such times, instead of putting excessive pressure on children, parents should stand by them, listen to them, and maintain a positive environment at home so that children can stay away from any kind of suicidal thoughts.
The Radhakrishnan Committee recommended restructuring the NTA and creating a secure examination administration system through strong institutional coordination with state and district authorities. In addition, it recommended multi-stage examinations, hybrid use of paper and computers, and a series of measures to prevent breaches and malpractice. Allowing the NTA to continue its inefficient management of joint entrance examinations affecting the future of millions of students would be a crime. NEET was introduced as a measure to implement a single, standardized, and transparent entrance examination for admission to medical colleges. It would be better to dismiss the current NTA altogether and bring about radical changes in the examination system.
