New Delhi, 20 May (H.S.): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday chaired a high-level review meeting with central security and intelligence agencies to ensure a fair and secure arrangement for the NEET-UG re-examination. The meeting emphasised heightened vigilance and robust security measures during the conduct of the examination.

Senior officials of the Ministry of Education and the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) also attended the meeting. A detailed review of examination preparations was undertaken, and discussions were held on identifying potential vulnerabilities and implementing timely preventive and corrective measures.

In parallel, the Education Minister also held meetings with representatives of major social media platforms such as Meta, Google, and Telegram. Serious concerns were raised over the growing spread of misinformation related to competitive examinations, particularly through Telegram channels and anonymous online groups circulating misleading claims.

Officials stated that in the run-up to major examinations, several Telegram channels become highly active, spreading fake claims of paper leaks, clickbait content, and unverified information, thereby creating fear, stress, and confusion among students and parents. It was also noted that several suspicious links redirect users to automated bots and fraudulent groups designed to amplify misinformation rapidly.

According to inputs from intelligence agencies, several such channels are being operated using a limited number of phone numbers, raising concerns about organised activity.

Taking the matter seriously, the Education Minister directed strict action against such networks. He instructed authorities to proactively identify, block, and remove channels involved in spreading misinformation, disinformation, and rumours ahead of examinations.

Pradhan said that social media platforms must work in coordination with the Ministry of Education, the NTA, and law enforcement agencies to ensure swift action so that the credibility of the examination system is maintained and students are protected from misleading information.

He reiterated that safeguarding students from misinformation and maintaining public trust in the examination process is the government’s top priority.

It is noteworthy that the NTA conducts the NEET-UG examination for admission to medical courses in the country. The examination was held on May 3 this year. Based on alleged irregularities and inputs received from investigative agencies, the NTA has decided to cancel the exam and conduct a re-examination on June 21. The examination will be held in offline mode, with more than 2.2 million students expected to appear. Candidates will also be given 15 additional minutes. The government has handed over a comprehensive investigation of the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar