- June 22, 2024
‘Law against paper leak mere whitewash’: Congress targets BJP on NEET row – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday called the implementation of the anti-paper leak law a “whitewash” and said that the BJP cannot escape its responsibility in “promoting corruption and education mafia.”
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which aims to curb malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations and includes provisions for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for offenders, was operationalized by the Centre on Friday night.
Kharge claimed in a post on ‘X’ that 70 question papers were leaked in the last seven years and questioned why the BJP has not taken any action so far.
“No matter how much effort BJP makes in the NEET scam, it cannot escape its responsibility in promoting fraud, corruption and education mafia,” Kharge said.
He pointed out that although the law against paper leaks received the President’s assent on February 13 this year, it was only notified on Friday night. Kharge questioned why the education minister lied about the law being notified when the ministry of law and justice had yet to frame the rules.
Kharge mentioned that the Union education minister initially denied the paper leak, but after arrests were made in Gujarat, Bihar, and Haryana, he stated that the exam would not be cancelled since papers were leaked locally in some places. However, Kharge pointed out that in 2015, the Pre-Medical Test was held again for six lakh candidates on the orders of the Supreme Court, even though only 44 students were involved.
He also highlighted that the Supreme Court has said that action should be taken even if there has been 0.001 fraud in the NEET exam. Kharge questioned why the Modi government is not conducting the exam again despite the education minister admitting to the irregularities.
Kharge further noted that in nine days, the NTA has cancelled or postponed three major exams, and even after passing the law, the leak of the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board’s (UPPRPB) exam paper in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh has been found to be linked to a Gujarat company.
He asked, “Why are (question) papers still being leaked despite a law being passed against it? When 70 papers were leaked in the last seven years, why did the Modi government not take any strict action against it?”
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which aims to curb malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations and includes provisions for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for offenders, was operationalized by the Centre on Friday night.
Kharge claimed in a post on ‘X’ that 70 question papers were leaked in the last seven years and questioned why the BJP has not taken any action so far.
“No matter how much effort BJP makes in the NEET scam, it cannot escape its responsibility in promoting fraud, corruption and education mafia,” Kharge said.
He pointed out that although the law against paper leaks received the President’s assent on February 13 this year, it was only notified on Friday night. Kharge questioned why the education minister lied about the law being notified when the ministry of law and justice had yet to frame the rules.
Kharge mentioned that the Union education minister initially denied the paper leak, but after arrests were made in Gujarat, Bihar, and Haryana, he stated that the exam would not be cancelled since papers were leaked locally in some places. However, Kharge pointed out that in 2015, the Pre-Medical Test was held again for six lakh candidates on the orders of the Supreme Court, even though only 44 students were involved.
He also highlighted that the Supreme Court has said that action should be taken even if there has been 0.001 fraud in the NEET exam. Kharge questioned why the Modi government is not conducting the exam again despite the education minister admitting to the irregularities.
Kharge further noted that in nine days, the NTA has cancelled or postponed three major exams, and even after passing the law, the leak of the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board’s (UPPRPB) exam paper in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh has been found to be linked to a Gujarat company.
He asked, “Why are (question) papers still being leaked despite a law being passed against it? When 70 papers were leaked in the last seven years, why did the Modi government not take any strict action against it?”
