Jairam Ramesh slams Centre over NEET leak, demands NTA restructuring

Jairam Ramesh slammed the Modi govt over the NEET paper leak, demanding a 'fundamental restructuring' of the NTA. Citing a parliamentary report on past failures, he said the agency must be kept away from 'corrupt henchmen'.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday informed that Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had a routine medical checkup at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram today and is now back home. Earlier in the day, Gandhi was admitted to the Medanta Hospital.

Jairam Ramesh Calls for NTA Overhaul

Earlier on Tuesday, Ramesh strongly condemned the Central government over the cancellation of the NEET examination due to an alleged paper leak, calling for a "fundamental restructuring" of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and stating that the agency must be kept away from "Modi Government's corrupt henchmen" to restore the integrity of the country's competitive examination ecosystem.

In a post on X, Ramesh questioned the government's lack of action following past admissions regarding NTA capabilities."On 16th June 2024, the Education Minister acknowledged that the NTA 'needs a lot of improvement.' Two years later, one must wonder what follow-up action has occurred on this admission. It is increasingly clear that what is needed is not just improvement, but a fundamental restructuring of the NTA and its ecosystem so that it is kept out of the hands of the Modi Government's corrupt henchmen," he said.

Ramesh claimed that NTA has showcased a recurring failure rate, citing a parliamentary report to support his statement. The post said, "The recent paper leak of the NEET-UG paper and the subsequent cancellation of the exam is only the latest in a series of instances which throw a question mark on the purpose and efficacy of the National Testing Agency (NTA). The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, in its 371st report, had noted that in 2024 alone, of the 14 national examinations conducted by the NTA, 5 saw paper leaks and irregularities."

The remarks came amid allegations of a paper leak and examination irregularities. The Centre cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3 and announced that the examination would be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately. (ANI)

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