Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday Gandhi raised serious concerns about the integrity of India's examination system during a speech in the Lok Sabha. He lambasted the central government over allegations of paper leaks in the NEET exams, highlighting what he called a "very serious problem" in the country's examination system, asserting that many students believe that money can buy success in the system.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session, Gandhi questioned Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan about the measures being taken to address what he described as a "systemic" issue within the examination system.
"It's obvious to the whole country that there is a very serious problem with our examination system. This is not just the question of NEET but major examinations," Gandhi stated. He accused the Education Minister of deflecting responsibility and failing to grasp the core issues.
"The minister has blamed everybody except himself. I don't think he understands the fundamentals of what's going on here," Gandhi remarked.
Gandhi emphasized the widespread discontent among students, suggesting that many believe the examination system is corrupt and biased towards those with financial means. "Millions of students in this country are extremely concerned about what is going on and are convinced that the Indian examination system is a fraud. Millions of people believe that if you're rich, you can buy the Indian examination system," he said.
He further noted that the Opposition shares this sentiment and is pressing the government for answers. "This is why we are asking some very simple questions to the Minister. As this is a systemic issue, what exactly are you doing to fix the issue at a systemic level?"
He stressed that major examinations in India are plagued by serious problems, not just NEET.
In response, Education Minister Pradhan condemned Gandhi's remarks, asserting that "a lie will not become truth just by shouting." He defended the examination system, calling Gandhi's accusations "highly condemnable."
Pradhan noted that there has been no evidence of paper leaks in the past seven years.
"More than 240 exams were conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency) in the last 7 years, more than 5 crore students applied, more than 4 crore participated. There have been incidents, this case is in SC currently. CJI is personally presiding over the bench," Pradhan said.
The government has been under fire over the alleged paper leak issue during the NEET-UG examination.
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav also criticized the government, claiming, "This government will make a record of paper leaks... There are some centres where more than 2,000 students have passed. As long as this minister (Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan) is there, the students will not get justice."
The Budget Session of Parliament, which began today, will have 16 sittings over 22 days. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that this session will primarily focus on financial business related to the Union Budget for 2024-25, which will be presented to the Lok Sabha on July 23.
