Around 2.4 lakh students appeared for NEET-UG 2024 on May 5. (file)
Patna:
The simmering case of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) irregularities has taken a new turn after four arrested persons admitted that the question paper of the medical entrance test was leaked last night.
Student protests over the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak and allegations of grace marks given to over 1,500 candidates rocked the country last week. While grace marks were later scrapped and students were offered re-tests, the education minister denied the paper was leaked.
The four arrested from Bihar include candidate Anurag Yadav, Sikander Yadavandu – a junior engineer in the Danapur Municipal Council – and two others – Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand.
He admitted that he had received the question paper a day before the exam and was made to memorize it. In a statement to the Bihar Police, he said the correct questions were asked in the exam the next day.
Anurag Yadav said, “I was made to read and memorize it at night. When I went for the exam, I got the same questions that I had memorized correctly. After the exam, the police came and arrested me. , and I confessed my guilt.”
Yadvindu claimed that the other two accused, Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand, told him that they could leak the question paper of any competitive exam and that it would cost Rs 30-32 lakh for each candidate to crack NEET.
“I agreed and told them that I have four boys (who need help to clear the exam). On the night of June 4, I took them with me and Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand gave them the question paper. 40 lakh each instead of Rs 30 lakh,” he told the police.
He said he was caught with the students' admit cards during a vehicle check the next day and confessed to the crime.
Around 2.4 lakh students appeared for the NEET-UG 2024 for undergraduate medical courses on May 5. But the results, which were declared at least 10 days ahead of schedule, have been marred by allegations of question paper leaks and more grace marks being given. 1,500 students.
The issue took a political turn with opposition parties targeting the government for alleged rigging, paper leaks and corruption. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had claimed that BJP-ruled states were “hotbeds of paper leaks”.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan rejected the allegations last week. He accused the opposition of spreading lies after finding no evidence of rigging.
The Supreme Court, while hearing a batch of petitions on alleged examination irregularities, on Tuesday slammed the National Testing Agency and said it should ensure that all candidates are treated fairly.