Amid growing outrage over the alleged ir regularities and paper leak in the NEET examination, political leaders, activists, academicians and student organisations in Goa have united to demand account ability, reforms in the exam ination system and justice for affected aspirants. Calling the issue a “na tional shame” and a seri ous threat to the future of students, they expressed concern over the mental stress faced by candidates and criticised the function ing of the National Testing Agency (NTA), while urging strict action against those responsible. Former Delhi Chief Minis ter Arvind Kejriwal, who is in Goa, urged students not to lose hope and called for accountability in the mat ter. “I appeal to students not to come under stress.
They are the future of the coun try and they must continue their struggle. If the NEET exam is being cancelled repeatedly, it means influ ential people are involved,” Kejriwal said. He also alleged that ques tion paper leaks had be come frequent under BJP governments and demanded strict punishment for those responsible. Goa Forward Party Pres ident and Fatorda MLA Vi jai Sardesai criticised the repeated conduct of re-ex aminations and questioned the effectiveness of the present system. “Instead of ‘one nation, one exam,’ it has become ‘one nation, one re-exam.’ Re-ex aminations are becoming the new normal. Merit loses its value if such incidents contin ue,” Sardesai said, advocating greater technological inter vention in the conduct of ex aminations. Youth Congress State General Secretary and for mer NSUI Goa President Naushad Chaudhary al leged that the examination system had “completely collapsed” due to corrup tion.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Referring to the arrest of two individuals in con nection with the case, he claimed they had links with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). “Two years ago, a similar incident occurred and we had protested. Once again, the same thing has hap pened and the system has collapsed. This is because of corruption,” Chaudhary said. He demanded that the NTA be banned and called for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Highlighting the importance of the NEET examination, Chaudhary said it is one of the country’s most significant entrance tests as it determines the future of medical education. “If the exams are compromised, then you can imagine what kind of doctors will be pro duced.
This compromised system is the biggest corruption in the country,” he added. Former bureaucrat and social activist Elvis Gomes also criticised the alleged irregulari ties, stressing the psychological stress faced by students and parents. “You can imagine the mental condition of students who appeared for the examination. The government should understand this. It is a matter of shame. Some students may not even choose to appear for the exam again. All the efforts put in by parents and students go to waste in a single stroke,” Gomes said. Historian and heritage activist Prajal Sakhardande described the alleged paper leak as a “national shame” and called for a thorough investigation into loopholes in the examination system. “This is not the first time a NEET paper leak has been re ported. The energy, effort and time invested by students go in vain.
It has a huge psychological impact on them. The en tire education system should be held accountable,” he said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant acknowl edged concerns surrounding the alleged leaks and said re peated examinations create difficulties for students. “Leakage of papers is not a good thing to happen. It is re ally a headache for students to reappear for examinations. However, the final decision rests with the examination au thority,” Sawant said.
