NEET Controversy: AAP leaders protest at Jantar Mantar
New Delhi: Amid controversy over alleged irregularities on NEET 2024 exam, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) protested against the Centre at the Jantar Mantar today.
This was stated by the party's Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak who further informed PTI the AAP will protest against the Central government across the country on June 19.
"Many irregularities have come to light in the NEET exam. The country will not tolerate such scams of the Modi government on the hard work and dreams of lakhs of children. Aam Aadmi Party will organize protests all over the country against this scam.
"Tomorrow on June 18 at 10 am, all the respected MPs, MLAs and councillors of the Aam Aadmi Party will protest against the government at Jantar Mantar. On June 19, the Aam Aadmi Party will protest against the Modi government in all states across the country. Jai Hind!" Pathak said in a post on X in Hindi.
The NEET-UG examination, which is the gateway for admission to undergraduate-level medical courses in India, was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centres across 571 cities in India. The results were declared on June 4.
After the results were declared, the parents and teachers began questioning the grace marks awarded to 1,563 students.
This year's NEET UG 2024 was mired in controversies after a paper leak scam was revealed in Bihar. Around 13 people, including four examinees and their family members, were arrested in Bihar for their alleged involvement in the paper leak of the NEET-UG exam. Patna police sources had previously claimed that the NEET-UG question papers along with their answers were provided to around 20 aspirants a day before the date of the exam i.e. May 5, 2024.
Also Read: NEET Candidates paid up to Rs 50 lakhs for getting Question Papers in Advance: Bihar EOU
Then, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, which took over the investigation, revealed that the brokers involved in the NEET paper leak scam took between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh from each of the medical aspirants in exchange for giving them the question paper of the NEET UG 2024 question paper ahead of the examination.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the allegations of NEET paper leak reached the peak when 67 candidates secured All India Rank 1 in the NEET UG 2024 exam. Questions were raised about the candidates scoring 718 or 719 marks out of 720 marks as well (which is impossible considering the NEET marking scheme).
When NTA tried to defend the results saying that several candidates were issued grace marks to compensate for the loss of time during the exam, further questions were raised. Pleas were also filed against NTA before the Supreme Court challenging the policy of granting grace marks.
Amid the uproar, the Union Government's counsel recently informed the Supreme Court that the committee set up in this regard recommended withdrawing the grace marks of 1563 candidates and informing them of their original scores, obtained without the grace marks. NTA has decided that these 1563 candidates would be given a choice of retaining their original scores (without grace marks) or appear in a retest, which will be held on 23rd June. The results of the retest will be published before 30th June, 2024 so that the NEET UG 2024 counselling could start from 6th July, 2024.
