Amid NEET-UG row, UGC-NET cancelled; Congress calls Modi govt 'Paper leak government'

New Delhi: Congress hit out at the Narendra Modi-led central government after the Education Ministry cancelled UGC-NET June 2024 Examination saying the “integrity of the examination may have been compromised”.

The Congress party branded the government as the "paper leak government" and demanded accountability from the Education Minister in light of the recent developments.

मोदी सरकार युवाओं के भविष्य के साथ खिलवाड़ कर रही है.

कल देश के विभिन्न शहरों में UGC-NET की परीक्षा कराई गई. आज पेपर लीक के शक में परीक्षा रद्द कर दी गई.

पहले NEET का पेपर लीक हुआ और अब UGC-NET का.

मोदी सरकार- 'पेपर लीक सरकार' बन गई है. pic.twitter.com/JZyESdOpMm

— Congress (@INCIndia) June 19, 2024

In a post in Hindi on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Narendra Modi ji, you do 'Pariksha pe charcha' a lot, but when will you hold 'NEET pareeksha pe charcha'. Cancellation of UGC-NET exam is a victory of the passion of lakhs of students,” he said.

“This is the defeat of Modi government's arrogance due to which they made a despicable attempt to trample the future of our youth,” the Congress chief added.

Kharge also said the Union education minister first says that no paper was leaked in NEET, but when arrests of education mafia were made in Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana, then the minister "accepts that some scam" has happened. “When will NEET exam be cancelled?” the senior Congress leader asked.

"Modi ji, take responsibility to stop your government's rigging and paper leak in NEET exam too," Kharge further said.

.@narendramodi जी,

आप "परीक्षा पर चर्चा" तो बहुत करते हैं, "NEET परीक्षा पर चर्चा" कब करेंगे?

UGC-NET परीक्षा को रद्द करना लाखों छात्र-छात्राओं के जज़्बे की जीत है।

ये मोदी सरकार के अहंकार की हार है जिसके चलते उन्होंने हमारे युवाओं के भविष्य को रौंदने का कुत्सित प्रयास…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 19, 2024

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called for a thorough investigation and accountability to be established regarding the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam.

भाजपा सरकार का लीकतंत्र व लचरतंत्र युवाओं के लिए घातक है।

NEET परीक्षा में हुए घपले की खबरों के बाद अब 18 जून को हुई NET की परीक्षा भी गड़बड़ियों की आशंका के चलते रद्द की गई।

क्या अब जवाबदेही तय होगी? क्या शिक्षा मंत्री इस लचरतंत्र की जिम्मेदारी लेंगे?

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) June 19, 2024

The statement by Education Ministry said that the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination in OMR (pen and paper) mode on June 18, 2024, in two shifts across different cities of the country.

On June 19, 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) received certain inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs on the examination.

These inputs prima facie indicate that the integrity of the aforesaid examination may have been compromised.

To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, has decided that the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination be cancelled.

A fresh examination shall be conducted, for which information shall be shared separately. Simultaneously, the matter is being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough investigation.

The statement added that in the matter pertaining to the NEET (UG) Examination 2024, the issue related to grace marks has already been fully addressed.

As regards certain irregularities alleged in the conduct of the examination in Patna, a detailed report has been sought from the Economic Offences Unit, Bihar Police. The government will take further action upon receipt of this report.

The government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protecting the interests of students. It is reiterated that any individual or organisation found to be involved in this matter will face the strictest action, the statement added.