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Modi Govt Faces First Major Showdown With INDIA Bloc Over NEET, NET Disputes

With the Lok Sabha election results indicating a resurgent Opposition INDIA bloc, the controversy over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination and the now-cancelled UGC-NET examination has become the first major issue of conflict between the new BJP-led NDA government and the Opposition alliance. This is expected to make the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, starting June 24, very contentious.

 

The Congress-led Opposition made its intentions clear right after the election results, vowing to be a “fierce challenger” on important national issues. At a press conference in Delhi two days ago, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their alleged failures to stop paper leaks. Rahul stated that the Modi government 3.0 will face “intense scrutiny” from the Opposition on various public issues.

 

Rahul said, “They (the government) can indulge in eyewash. But they will face such pressure from the Opposition that they will think twice about whatever they are doing. We will make sure that we put so much pressure on them that this issue (leaks of exam papers) is resolved.” He added that the Opposition would bring up this issue in the upcoming session of Parliament.

 

During the recent Lok Sabha polls, where the INDIA bloc won 234 seats, the issue of paper leaks was frequently mentioned in the election speeches of prominent Opposition leaders. Figures like Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, among other INDIA leaders, highlighted this issue to connect with the youth.

 

The Congress, in its manifesto, promised fast-track courts to handle cases related to question paper leaks and to provide monetary compensation to victims.

 

The BJP also used the issue of paper leaks to criticize the Opposition. During his campaign in Rajasthan, Prime Minister Modi claimed that the previous Congress government in the state was “itself involved in paper leaks” and had “betrayed the country’s youth.”

 

Have there been other paper leaks recently?

Yes, there have been other paper leaks recently. An investigation by The Indian Express found at least 41 instances of paper leaks in 15 states over the last five years. These leaks disrupted the hiring process for government jobs, affecting at least 1.4 crore applicants for about 1.04 lakh government posts.

 

The most recent paper leak occurred in Uttar Pradesh in February this year, when the UP Police constable recruitment exam question paper was allegedly leaked and circulated on social media on the day of the exam. A total of 48 lakh candidates had registered to fill 60,244 constable positions. The state government ordered a retest, but the date has not been announced yet.

 

The Samajwadi Party (SP), which won its highest ever seats in UP at 37, and the Congress claimed that the paper leaks issue impacted the elections. The Opposition’s campaign on paper leaks resonated with the youth, as it is directly linked to the issue of unemployment. This issue is being connected to the BJP’s performance in the Lok Sabha polls, which saw the party’s seat count drop from 303 in 2019 to 240 this time.

 

Opposition leaders have not only raised the issue of paper leaks but have also used it to target the BJP and Prime Minister Modi. The Congress has been particularly aggressive on this matter. Other Opposition parties, including the SP, Shiv Sena (UBT), DMK, TMC, NCP (SP), CPI(M), CPI, and AAP, have also united in demanding that the NEET-UG exam be scrapped and strict action taken against those responsible.

 

With greater strength in Parliament, the Opposition is unlikely to let the issue blow over anytime soon. The paper leaks concern a large section of people, especially the youth and their families, who spend years preparing for various entrance and recruitment examinations.

 

While Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had previously maintained that there was no paper leak in the NEET-UG exam 2024, he recently admitted to “irregularities” in the conduct of the exam. Pradhan acknowledged that there have been “some errors limited to specific regions,” referring to Bihar’s investigation into allegations of a paper leak. He also announced the formation of a high-level committee to review the structure and functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

 

At a press conference, Pradhan took “moral responsibility” for the loss of faith among youth and students. This was a shift from his stance last week, when he had denied any evidence of a paper leak, stating, “There is no corruption,” shortly after beginning his new term as Education Minister in the Modi government 3.0.

 

The BJP also criticized Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of politicizing the matter while the Centre was handling it with sensitivity. BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “The government is fully sensitive and alert regarding the NEET exam. It is also committed to ensuring that no student faces any injustice and that strict action is taken against those involved. But Rahul Gandhi, who could not pass even with third division in his third attempt and got just 100 seats (in the Lok Sabha polls), is trying to declare himself leader of the bright students.”

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