Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in an exclusive interview with India TV that the NEET re-examination was conducted successfully, peacefully and with the cooperation of all stakeholders in ensuring a transparent examination process.
Speaking on the re-examination held following the controversy and paper leak case related to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Pradhan said the successful conduct of the examination was the result of coordinated efforts by the government and multiple agencies. He also outlined the government's plans to further strengthen the security and transparency of the examination system.
Pradhan said organising the nationwide re-examination within just 38 days was a major administrative and technical challenge. Despite this, the examination was conducted successfully. According to him, around 250,000 people contributed directly and indirectly to the process.
The minister said the preparation of the question paper and the examination process were carried out under a high level of confidentiality. He stated that the security arrangements were so stringent that they could be compared with some of the country's most sensitive administrative operations. He also acknowledged that some individuals had betrayed the system during the earlier examination, raising questions over the credibility of the examination process.
Pradhan announced that the government is working towards conducting the NEET examination in a computer-based format from next year. He said a digital examination system would help enhance transparency and reduce human intervention. At the same time, he noted that a computer-based examination would introduce new challenges, including cyber security risks.
He said the government is preparing a strategy to address these potential risks in consultation with experts and technical institutions. According to the minister, the government has welcomed suggestions and criticism related to examination reforms in a positive manner.
On the paper leak case, Pradhan said strict action would be taken against those found guilty. He said investigating agencies are continuously working to uncover all aspects of the case and that no accused person would be spared. The minister indicated that the properties of individuals involved in examination-related crimes could also be confiscated. He said stringent measures against those who compromise the education system are necessary to prevent such incidents in the future.
Pradhan expressed sympathy for students and families affected by the examination controversy and the resulting stress. He said he was deeply saddened by the adverse impact on the lives of some students. According to the minister, maintaining the morale of the country's youth and ensuring they receive fair opportunities is the government's foremost responsibility.
He appealed to students to avoid rumours and misleading information and to rely only on official sources of information. The minister said the government's objective is to develop an examination system that is fully transparent, credible and student-centric.
