The controversy surrounding the alleged leak of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) question paper intensified on Thursday as National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Abhishek Singh appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports. The meeting witnessed sharp exchanges over the handling of the examination fiasco that has shaken public confidence in one of India’s most competitive entrance tests.
According to sources, the NTA chief told the committee that the agency does not officially consider the NEET examination to have been “leaked” at this stage. NTA officials reportedly maintained that the matter remains under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation and that the agency would acknowledge a paper leak only after the probe agency formally confirms it.
The clarification, however, failed to satisfy several Opposition members, who repeatedly questioned the NTA over the sequence of events that led to the cancellation of the examination results and the growing evidence of organised malpractice. Committee chairman Digvijaya Singh is said to have raised multiple concerns regarding the agency’s functioning, security mechanisms and accountability.
The parliamentary scrutiny comes amid mounting outrage over revelations of a wide-ranging multi-state nexus allegedly involved in the NEET paper leak scandal. Investigations by the CBI have so far uncovered links between individuals involved in preparing the examination paper, private coaching operators and middlemen allegedly facilitating access to leaked content for hefty sums.
The controversy erupted after the NEET-UG examination, conducted on May 3 for admission to undergraduate medical courses across the country, came under suspicion following allegations that portions of the paper had been circulated before the test. Soon after reports of irregularities surfaced, authorities cancelled the results, triggering anxiety and uncertainty among lakhs of medical aspirants.
The CBI investigation has since gathered momentum, with the agency making several arrests across different states. Sources indicate that at least ten individuals have been arrested so far in connection with the case. The probe is focusing on how confidential examination material may have been accessed and distributed through organised networks.
During Thursday’s parliamentary panel meeting, members also questioned the NTA about previous allegations of examination irregularities and paper leaks in other recruitment and entrance tests. The repeated controversies have raised broader concerns over the credibility of competitive examinations conducted by the agency and the adequacy of its security protocols.
Sources further revealed that Members of Parliament from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) were seen backing the NTA’s position during the discussions. Government MPs reportedly argued that conclusions should not be drawn until the CBI completes its investigation and submits its findings.
The NEET controversy has become a major political flashpoint, with Opposition parties accusing the government of failing to safeguard the integrity of national examinations. Student groups and parents have also demanded stricter action against those responsible and reforms to ensure transparency and fairness in future examinations.
As the investigation progresses, the focus now remains on the CBI’s findings, which are expected to determine the extent of the alleged leak and identify the full network behind one of the biggest examination controversies in recent years.
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