Thiruvananthapuram, 30 June (H.S.):The Kerala Legislative Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government to undertake comprehensive reforms in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and other national competitive examinations, citing repeated irregularities that have undermined public confidence in India's entrance examination system.
The resolution, moved by Higher Education Minister Roji M. John, expressed concern over recurring incidents such as question paper leaks, examination malpractices, technical failures and shortcomings in the evaluation process, which, it said, have seriously compromised the credibility of national entrance tests.
Presenting the resolution in the Assembly, the minister said the controversies surrounding NEET have raised grave questions over the transparency, fairness and integrity of one of the country's most important entrance examinations. He alleged that repeated irregularities had adversely affected lakhs of students, including candidates from Kerala, while accusing the Union government of failing to respond adequately and in a timely manner.
NEET determines the future of lakhs of students aspiring to pursue medical education. Allegations of paper leaks, investigations, court interventions and recurring controversies have created widespread anxiety among students, parents and the general public. Despite serious lapses coming to light, the Union government and the agencies concerned failed to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and initiate prompt corrective measures, Roji M. John said.
The minister also pointed to controversies involving several other national examinations, including CUET-UG, UGC-CSIR examinations, Staff Selection Commission (SSC) recruitment tests, Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) examinations and CBSE examinations, arguing that they reflect deeper structural weaknesses in India's examination framework.
The resolution called for stringent criminal action against those involved in examination malpractices and sought accountability for officials responsible for administrative failures. It also urged the Centre to introduce robust technological safeguards, establish an independent oversight mechanism and enact comprehensive legislation to restore the credibility of national examinations.
Highlighting the federal nature of education, which falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution, the Assembly further urged the Union government to consult state governments before taking any major policy decisions relating to national entrance examinations.
BJP MLA V. Muraleedharan opposed the resolution, while acknowledging that concerns over irregularities in NEET were genuine. He argued that the Union government had acted promptly after the lapses came to light.
He maintained that NEET was not introduced by the Narendra Modi government and said the Centre had treated the issue with utmost seriousness. According to him, the Union government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Union Education Minister, had taken decisive steps, including conducting re-examinations where necessary.
Muraleedharan proposed an amendment suggesting that the resolution should appreciate the Centre's intervention instead of criticising it. However, the amendment was rejected by the Assembly.
Meanwhile, in the NEET-UG question paper leak case, a Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of 10 accused until July 11. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, has alleged that the accused were part of a network that leaked question papers and sold them to candidates for huge sums of money. The investigation into the alleged examination scam is continuing.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
