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A heated exchange erupted in Parliament on Monday as Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi confronted Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged leaks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2024.
"It is obvious to the whole country that there is a very serious problem in our examination system, not just in NEET but in all the major examinations," Gandhi said. "The minister (Dharmendra Pradhan) has blamed everybody except himself. I don't even think he understands the fundamentals of what is going on here."
Gandhi expressed concern over the integrity of the Indian examination system, claiming that millions of students believe it to be fraudulent. "Millions of people believe that if you are rich and you have money, you can buy the Indian examination system and this is the same feeling that the opposition has," he said, demanding a separate one-day discussion on the matter.
Pradhan, however, countered Gandhi's allegations, stating that no evidence of paper leaks has been found in the last seven years. He said that the matter is currently before the Supreme Court and that more than 240 exams have been conducted successfully under the National Testing Agency (NTA).
In an attempt to corner the government, Gandhi asked, "As this (NEET) is a systematic issue, what exactly are you doing to fix this issue?"
Pradhan replied sharply, saying, "A lie will not become truth just by shouting. The fact that the Leader of Opposition says that the country's examination system is rubbish, is highly condemnable."
The discussion turned more contentious as Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav joined the fray, criticising the government's handling of the issue.
"This government will make a record of paper leaks," Yadav said. "There are some centres where more than 2,000 students have passed. As long as this minister (Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan) is there, the students will not get justice."
