Medical Study India | Trusted Guidance for Medical Aspirants
Medical Study India | Trusted Guidance for Medical Aspirants
The Centre seems to be pulling out all the stops to ensure that the NEET-UG re-test passes off without any leaks and lapses. With the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) now directly monitoring the exam process, the Education Ministry is considering an unprecedented step - roping in the defence forces for logistics and transportation of question papers. It raises a troubling question. Has conducting a fair exam become such a daunting challenge in the country?
The development comes after the May 3 medical entrance exam was cancelled following a paper leak, throwing the future of 23 lakh students in limbo and triggering massive protests. The re-test will be held on June 21. At the centre of all the fire is the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts most of the major central exams, including the NEET. A probe so far has revealed multiple points of leakage in the journey of the NEET question paper from the printing press to the exam centres. It is to plug this gap that the defence forces might be roped in
The proposal was discussed at a high-level meeting between Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday, according to a report in PTI. Senior Indian Air Force (IAF) officers were also present
As per the report, the IAF will be responsible for transporting the NEET-UG question papers from the printing press to exam destinations across the country. Moreover, considering the unpredictable weather in June due to rain, the government believes entrusting the transportation of these sensitive documents to the IAF would be the safest option.
Part of the problem lies in the manner in which NEET is conducted. Unlike JEE, which is computer-based, NEET is a pen-and-paper exam. So far, the question papers have been transported through the postal service. It involved multiple transfers and officials. In simple terms, human intervention.
Experts feel the government's move to involve the defence forces indicates deep mistrust of the civilian machinery, which involves NTA officials, the police and educational institutions. The probe into the May 3 leak has indicated that postal transportation could be among the vulnerable points.
The defence forces are meant for national security and border protection. The fact that they now have to handle exam papers shows how police and other agencies have failed to rein in paper leak gangs.