Pradhan: High-level panel to review NTA
NEW DELHI: Amid demand by the opposition to re-conduct the medical entrance exam NEET, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said isolated incidents of malpractices should not affect lakhs of students who cleared the examination rightfully.
At a press conference here, he also announced that the government will set up a high-level panel to look into the functioning of the NTA. The high-level committee to review and improve the functioning of the agency would be notified soon, the minister said.
“Be it NTA or any top official or senior person in NTA, strict action will be taken against whoever found guilty in the NEET case. No malpractice will be tolerated and the government is committed to holding zero-error exam,” he said.
About the cancellation of the UGC-NET examination for selection of junior research fellows, assistant professors and PhD scholars, Pradhan said the exam paper was leaked on darknet. “The cancellation of UGC-NET was not a knee-jerk reaction. We have got proofs that the paper had leaked on darknet and was circulating on Telegram. Hence, it was decided to cancel the exam,” Pradhan said.
The UGC-NET examination was cancelled after getting proof that the exam paper was leaked on darknet and circulated on Telegram
However, he evaded repetitive queries on whether NEET will also be cancelled on lines of NET.
Meanwhile, the outcry against alleged irregularities in the medical entrance NEET grew louder on Thursday with several student groups staging protests and opposition attacking the Centre.