NTA under scrutiny after NEET paper leak row
The National Testing Agency (NTA) of Bharat is facing severe scrutiny for its inadequate controls, threatening its integrity. The NTA has violated public trust and is solely responsible for suspected paper leaks in the high-stakes NEET (National Entrance Examination Test) for MBBS admission and the NET (National Eligibility Test) for UGC/ CSIR Fellowship.
Millions of diligent and sincere students fall prey to organized gangs leaking test papers or facilitating unfair means during exams under the NTA’s supervision. This jeopardizes the future of these young dreamers. Consequently, Bharat’s aspiration to become a “Developed” country by 2047 may remain unfulfilled if stern measures against paper leaks are not urgently implemented.
The issue of paper leaks is not limited to NEET and NET. According to India Today, there have been 70 paper leaks in seven years, affecting 1.7 crore (17 million) aspirants. More than a dozen states, regardless of political party in power, have experienced paper leaks or widespread cheating. This national menace necessitates stringent measures to safeguard the future of Bharat’s youth. Established in 2017 under Modi’s watch, the NTA has shaken people’s confidence in its effectiveness and integrity.
It is astounding that, on average, nearly 2.5 million aspirants and dreamers have been denied a fair chance to compete in the last seven years. Students who study diligently for years to pass these high-stakes entrance tests are the biggest victims. Their families spend fortunes on coaching, while those involved in paper leaks and cheating often escape with impunity.
As a career academician for over 50 years, my heart breaks and bleeds with every paper leak, especially in tests like NEET. Imagine millions of dreamers rioting on the streets, creating a law-and-order nightmare with the potential to threaten stability and security. Families go broke trying to secure their children’s futures, leading to major economic consequences for the nation. The masterminds behind paper leaks and cheating threaten overall morality and integrity, adding to high levels of corruption.
The paper leaks by organized gangs are a demonic act filled with corruption and deception. Bihar is emerging as the epicenter of this menace in this year’s NEET. Nearly 2.4 million students appeared in NEET for 110,000 MBBS seats. This means less than five students are selected for every 1,000 dreamers, a steep competition, especially for middle-class and financially strapped families. In Bharat’s context, it is even steeper for “upper caste” families due to nearly 50% of seats being reserved for SC, ST, and OBC categories.
I strongly argue that paper leaks and the use of unfair means need time-bound and expeditious investigation, non-bailable jail terms for perpetrators, and severe financial penalties as deterrents. Both the perpetrators of the paper leak “crime” and those benefiting from it must be penalized.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh has set a gold standard with his ordinance to combat paper leaks head-on. This ordinance imposes jail terms of two years to life imprisonment and fines up to Rs. One crore for those found guilty. Similarly, Modi 3.0 introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. While it is a step in the right direction, it lacks stringent measures to safeguard against a potentially corruptible judiciary.
Lawmakers must reconsider the Act to include the following provisions:
- Replace “may” with “will,” and “at least” with “a minimum” to make it unambiguous.
- Ensure the jail term is non-bailable except under extenuating circumstances.
- Fine perpetrators about ten times their earnings from paper leaks; the current NEET scandal mastermind collected Rs.30 to 40 Lakhs from each student.
- Extend jail terms or confiscate property if penalties are not paid within 12 to 24 months.
- Investigate and decide cases of paper leaks and unfair means expeditiously in special courts.
For example:
- User of Unfair Means: The student barred from future national tests for two years. Parents/ guardians should face a minimum three-year non-bailable jail term, extendable to five years, and a minimum fine of Rs. Twenty lakhs.
- Providing Facility: A minimum fine of one crore and an additional one crore for examination costs. The facility should be barred from holding any public exam for four years.
- Facility Manager: Immediate suspension followed by a minimum three-year non-bailable jail term, extendable to five years.
- Mastermind and Co-Conspirators: A minimum jail term of five years, extendable up to 10 years for the mastermind, and three to five years for each co-conspirator, with a minimum fine of Rs. Four crores were distributed among all conspirators.
While some may find these punishments excessive, they are necessary considering the magnitude of the scandals affecting millions of youths and their families annually. If the 2024 NEET is canceled, as demanded by students, families, and opposition parties, the consequences will be far-reaching.
The NTA must plan for another NEET and offer it at no cost to 2.4 million aspirants. These students stand to lose a whole year, and medical schools must delay the start of first-year classes, disrupting academic calendars and planning for years. With an already critical shortage of qualified health professionals in Bharat, there will be over 100,000 fewer doctors in one year. It will lead to significant financial losses and a profound impact on human health.
Bharat’s youth deserves urgent measures against paper leaks with all political parties collaborating and rising above their differences.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
3.The write-up is solely by the author with improvement by Chat GPT.
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Formerly, a researcher in Italy, Japan, and France, he has widely travelled and came to the US in 1978. He was a faculty and academic administrator in several different universities in PA, TX, NJ, MN, WI, and NY, and an Executive Fellow in the White House S&T Policy during the Clinton administration.
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