NEET Row Intensifies: Govt Hands Over ’Irregularities’ Probe To CBI

New Delhi: The Ministry of Education has entrusted the matter of alleged irregularities in the NEET (UG) Examination 2024 to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive investigation.

An official statement said that “certain cases of alleged irregularities/cheating/impersonation have been reported” in the NEET-UG exam held on May 5. “For transparency in the conduct of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, after a review, has decided to entrust the matter to the CBI for investigation.”

The central government has also enacted the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to prevent unfair means in the public examinations, it further said.

It added that the government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students. “…..any individual/ organization found to be involved will face strictest action.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court had issued notice on a bunch of petitions, seeking CBI investigation into the alleged malpractices in NEET-UG 2024. The petitions, seeking a re-exam after cancelling the exam and results, are listed on July 8. The Bihar police is also investigating a case regarding alleged paper leak at Patna.

In a related development, the Centre replaced the NTA, which conducted the NEET-UG on May 5 in pen and paper mode and announced its results on June 4. NEET-PG exam scheduled for June 23 was postponed by Centre on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, the CBI has registered an FIR in connection with the UGC-NET exam which the Centre had earlier cancelled after its questions paper was found leaked on Darknet.

The BJP-led central government has been facing flak over discrepancies in competitive exams since taking over for the third term and these decisions are being seen as measures to contain the damage wreaked by the row.