"Dharmendra Pradhan must resign": NCP(SCP) leader after cancellation UGC-NET exam

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 20 : After the Ministry of Education cancelled the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 18, Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
"The cancellation of the UGC-NET June 2024 examination exposes another failures of the central government's education department in running the education system in our country. Just a few days ago, the NEET exams issue brought to light how malpractices and favouritism are prevailing in our education system," he said.
"The central government, by failing in doing their duty diligently towards the students of our country are disrespecting their hard work and also playing with their lives. If Dharmendra Pradhan is unable to handle his portfolio as an education minister, he must resign," Crasto added.
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar also criticised the government over the alleged NEET paper leak and the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam.
In a post on X, the Karnataka Minister said that the Congress will speak up for the children and their future fearlessly until the government is forced to listen and take action.
"The nation hasn't even wrapped its head around the devastating NEET exam leak, and now the integrity of the UGC NET exam also stands compromised and cancelled. These recurring compromises of our examination system especially in BJP-ruled states are putting a huge question mark on the future of our children, with their hard work going down the drain each time," he posted on X.
"These leaks are proof of BJP Government's inability to secure the future of our nation. Truly, a dark and dangerous time for our education system, and the government's inability to take measures is pushing the system into further trouble. Congress Party will speak up for our children and their future fearlessly until this government is forced to listen and take action," Shivakumar added.
Education Ministry cancelled the UGC-NET held on June 18 "to ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity" of the examination process, a ministry release said on Wednesday.
As per the release, on June 19, 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) received certain inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs on the Examination. These inputs prima facie indicate that the integrity of the aforesaid examination may have been compromised.
Simultaneously, the matter is being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for thorough investigation in the matter, it added.
The exam was attended by 81 per cent of over 11.21 lakh registered candidates for the exam in 317 cities across the country, UGC chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar said.