Centre ready to discuss NEET issue if decorum is maintained in House: Education Minister

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday (June 28) said that the government is open to discussing the medical entrance exam NEET-UG, provided the discussions adhere to traditional norms and maintain decorum. 

His remarks came after the adjournment of the Lok Sabha amid Opposition protests demanding a debate on alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Pradhan urged the opposition not to create confusion among students. "The government is ready for every kind of discussion, but everything should happen following norms and maintaining decorum. The President spoke about the exam in her speech yesterday, reflecting our readiness to address any issue," he said.

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"When the government is prepared to present its case, what is the confusion? We will take the strictest action, and the CBI will apprehend everyone involved. We will not spare anyone," Pradhan added.

The NEET-UG exam, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, saw participation from around 24 lakh candidates. Following the announcement of results on June 4, allegations of irregularities and question paper leaks surfaced, particularly in Bihar.

CBI made first arrests in paper leak after government handed the investigation to the agency. 

In response to the allegations, Pradhan highlighted that a credible high-level committee has been formed to implement reforms. He assured that the dates for any postponed or cancelled exams would be announced soon and appealed to the Opposition to engage in the discussion.

(With inputs from PTI)