Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, on June 17, launched an attack on the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), accusing the organisation of abandoning its professional standards and becoming a "political tool" for the ruling party.
Ramesh's comments come in the wake of the recent controversy surrounding the allocation of "grace marks" in the 2024 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical college admissions. While the National Testing Agency (NTA) blamed NCERT for the fiasco, Ramesh dismissed it as an attempt to deflect attention from the NTA's "abject failures."
The Congress leader alleged that NCERT has been functioning as an affiliate of the RSS since 2014. He pointed out that the revised Class XI political science textbook criticises the concept of secularism and policies of certain political parties regarding secularism.
Ramesh argued that NCERT's objective should be to produce educational materials, not political propaganda. He accused the council of mounting an assault on the Constitution, which enshrines secularism as a foundational pillar of the Indian republic.
"NCERT needs to remind itself that it is the National Council for Educational Research and Training, not the Nagpur or Narendra Council for Educational Research and Training," Ramesh said, taking a jab at the council's alleged RSS links.
He expressed concern over the declining quality of NCERT textbooks, stating that they are now "vastly different" from those he studied in school.
The controversy surrounding NEET has also drawn Ramesh's attention. He called for a comprehensive analysis to determine whether the exam is discriminatory against students from poorer backgrounds or non-CBSE schools. Additionally, he raised questions about the integrity of the NTA and the way NEET is designed and administered.
Ramesh urged the new Parliamentary Standing Committees to prioritize a review of NEET, NTA, and NCERT to address these pressing concerns.
Meanwhile, students across the country have protested the issues surrounding the 2024 NEET-UG exam, including reported paper leaks and the allocation of "grace marks." Several petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court, seeking a recall of the NEET-UG 2024 results and a fresh examination due to alleged malpractices.
The NTA has announced the cancellation of scorecards for 1,563 candidates who received "grace marks," offering them the opportunity to retake the exam on June 23, with results expected by June 30.