Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, on Saturday, said that the Central and state government have taken serious note of the irregularities in the NEET examination for medical course admissions, and various agencies have started taking action and arrests have been made.
"In order to prevent such irregularities in the future, the central government has issued an ordinance. It provides for strict action against the culprits along with hefty fines. The idea of assigning the responsibility of conducting the medical course entrance exam back to the states has also been proposed. The central government will examine and decide on this matter. The state government is committed to ensuring that students who study diligently and take the exams honestly do not suffer any harm," he said.
Pawar also informed the Legislative Assembly that suggestions from the opposition parties will be considered positively. Leader of the Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, former President Nana Patole, and other members raised the issue of irregularities in the NEET examination in the Legislative Assembly through an adjournment motion.
However, even after the adjournment was rejected by the speaker, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, while providing information in the House, stated that incidents of paper leaks in the NEET examination have occurred across the country. "Bogus students have written the papers. It has also been brought to notice that there has been significant financial malpractice in the examination. Such incidents should not happen, and the honest students who study should not suffer any loss," Pawar stated.
Pawar also said the central and state governments are committed to ensuring strict punishment for the culprits. "The central government has issued an ordinance that provides for strict punishment and hefty fines for the culprits. The proposal to conduct this examination at the state level in the future is also being considered. The stance of millions of students, the opposition, and the state government is that the NEET examination should be transparent and corruption-free. Positive consideration will be given to the suggestions made by the opposition and ruling parties," assured Pawar.
