NEET fiasco: R. Bindu writes to Union Education Minister

Minister seeks inquiry into allegations of irregularities and paper leaks surrounding NEET-UG examination

Higher Education Minister R. Bindu on Monday wrote to the Central government, seeking a comprehensive inquiry into allegations of irregularities and paper leaks surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2024 examination.

In letters submitted to the Union Education Minister and Secretary (Higher Education), Dr. Bindu flagged the unfolding scenario in which an unprecedented number of candidates have achieved top ranks. Furthermore, 67 candidates have scored a percentile as high as 99.997129.

“While excellence should be celebrated, such a concentration of top ranks raises suspicions regarding the fairness and transparency of the examination process,” she wrote.

Even while welcoming the National Testing Agency’s decision to establish a grievance redressal committee comprising examination and academic experts, the concerns expressed by students and their parents warranted an immediate and thorough investigation.

“The integrity of our education system is paramount, and any compromise on it not only undermines the aspirations of millions of students but also erodes public trust in the examination conducting authorities. Therefore, it is imperative that the Ministry of Education takes decisive action to address these allegations and restore confidence in the NEET-UG examination process,” she said.