A petition filed in the Patna High Court regarding the NEET UG paper leak. It seeks the cancellation of the exam and calls for a CBI investigation. The plea highlights concerns over the integrity of the examination process.
The controversy surrounding the alleged leak of the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) Undergraduate paper escalated and now reached the Patna High Court. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer Vishal Saurav on behalf of advocate Sujit Kumar Sinha, demanding the cancellation of the examination and a thorough investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The PIL emphasizes that the alleged leak poses a threat to the integrity of the exam and the future of millions of students.
Read Also: ‘NEET Will Be Scrapped’
The NEET UG exam, a crucial entrance test for admission into medical courses and conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, 2024, across India, including Bihar. Shortly after the exam, reports of a paper leak emerged, leading to the arrest of 13 individuals by the Patna police. An FIR registered at the Shastrinagar police station, confirming the leak, and the police recovered a scanned copy of the leaked paper sent to a young man in Danapur. Additional arrests made, including four fake candidates in Purnia and one in Hajipur, who attempted to sit the exam on behalf of others.
The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, now leading the investigation, which revealed that brokers charged aspirants between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 50 lakh for the leaked papers. These brokers allegedly provided the question papers to approximately 35 candidates the day before the exam. The operation involved the participation of “solvers” and substantial amounts of money exchanged to manipulate the exam process.
The PIL filed in the Patna High Court demands a CBI probe, reflecting the increasing demand among NEET UG aspirants and the public for a re-conduction of the exam. Social and political activists have also expressed their concerns on social media urging the government to ensure justice and maintain the integrity of the examination.
In response to these developments, an eight-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by EOU SP Madan Kumar Anand has been established to investigate the scandal. The investigation revealed the involvement of organized gangs with a history of similar activities, operating from various locations, including Learn Boys Hostel and Learn Play School in Khemnichak, Patna.
Read Also: Madras HC Directs NTA: Provide Sanitary Pads & Accessible Toilets at NEET Exam Centers
The search for the mastermind, Sanjiv Singh, ongoing, and the Bihar Police determined to bring all those involved to justice and ensure the fairness of future examinations. The scandal raised concerns regarding the credibility of NEET UG 2024, leading to calls for stringent measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Despite the NTA‘s assurances that the exam, which took place across 4,750 centers in 571 cities, proceeded smoothly with only isolated incidents, the allegations of widespread malpractice have raised doubts about the fairness of the examination.
FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES
