"Third exam NTA has postponed...," Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi targets Education Minister's claims on "paper leaks"

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 22 : Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi has attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the controversies in recent examinations, and asked Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan about what happened to his assurance of taking action against the guilty of "paper leaks".
"This is the third exam that NTA has postponed...The Education Minister said that he has taken responsibility, and whoever is found guilty, the strictest action will be taken against them. What happened to that claim?" Chaturvedi said in a video on Friday.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader asked how many more careers would be put in question.
"Today our youth are angry, today they are protesting on the roads. On how many careers will you put a question, on how many careers will you put a full stop? Prime Minister, the country is looking at you that to date you have not broken your silence," she further said.
Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the NEET paper leak issue and said that under the rule of BJP, the future of two crore youth has been ruined in the last seven years adding that Congress will raise the voice of the youth strongly.
"In BJP rule, the education mafia has a free hand in corruption. In 7 years, 70 papers have been leaked and the future of 2 crore youth has been ruined. The NEET exam paper leak scam is a symbol of the utter apathy of the Modi government towards the youth. Today Congress held a protest across the country. Congress will raise the voice of the youth strongly," Kharge posted on X.
The NEET-UG 2024 exam was conducted on May 5 and its results were declared on June 4, ahead of its scheduled announcement date of June 14.
A row erupted after allegations of irregularities and paper leaks surfaced. The results showed that as many as 67 students had topped the exam with a perfect score of 720.
The petitions have been filed in courts by students seeking a re-test. The Supreme Court has allowed a re-test of over 1,500 students who were awarded "grace marks."
Earlier, the Ministry of Education cancelled the UGC-NET exam held on June 18 "to ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity" of the examination process.
The NTA on Friday also postponed the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET Examination June 2024 which was scheduled to be held between June 25 to June 27 due to "unavoidable circumstances as well as logistic issues."
Meanwhile, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, came into effect on Friday. It aims to prevent unfair means in public examinations and common entrance tests held across the country.
The bill comes amid the massive row over the alleged malpractices in conducting the NEET and UGC NET examinations.
The Bill was passed by the two Houses of Parliament in the Budget session which concluded on February 10. It seeks to prevent the use of "unfair means" in public examinations and bring "greater transparency, fairness and credibility".