Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution urging the Central Government to comprehensively reform the national examination system, considering the alleged irregularities reported in connection with the NEET examination.

Concerns over paper leaks and suicides
The resolution was moved in the House by state Higher Education Minister Roji M John, who said that there were repeated instances of irregularities and paper leaks in connection with the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), especially in the last three years.
John said that there have been numerous instances of suicides by students allegedly due to the reported irregularities in the conduct of the exam. He claimed that last year itself there were 30 suicides by students over irregularities in the NEET, and this year there have been 14, and alleged that the central government was being indifferent to the same. The Minister also claimed that ever since the exam was being conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), there have been repeated instances of paper leaks.

Assembly rejects amendments, passes motion
Welcoming the resolution, CPM leader K Premkumar said that the Assembly had in 2024 also brought to the Centre's attention the irregularities in the conduct of the NEET. Congress leader Aryadan Shoukath alleged that leaders of the ruling party at the Centre were the culprits behind the irregularities and sought that the Central Government be urged to monitor the mushrooming coaching centres which, he claimed, were part of a "mafia" behind the paper leaks.
On the other hand, BJP MLA V Muraleedharan said that the NEET was first started under the UPA government in 2010 and the first NEET exam conducted in 2013 was quashed by the Supreme Court.
He also contended that lapses occurred in the conduct of the NEET this year due to the fault of some NTA officials and corrective action was taken by the Central Government by holding a reexamination. The BJP MLA sought that the resolution be amended to the extent to include praise for the Central Government.
However, all the modifications or amendments suggested by the CPM, Congress and BJP leaders were rejected by the House, which passed the resolution by a voice vote.

Despite the rejection of his suggested amendment, Muraleedharan continued to raise the matter in the House, prompting Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan to tell him that he could convey his opinion in writing to the Chair later.

"Once the House has rejected the suggested amendment, we cannot raise it again or discuss it," the Speaker told the BJP leader.

 

PTI