Srinagar, June 25: Chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Front (J&K PDF) and former minister, Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen, has expressed grave concern over the serious irregularities committed during the NEET UG 2024 exams.
“The future of approximately 24 lakh aspiring medical students has been jeopardized,” he said in a statement issued here.
The PDF Chief urged the government to take concrete, result-oriented measures to reform the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Yaseen said there is a need for immediate reforms in the examination process and the functioning of the NTA following the alleged paper leak in NEET 2024. He demanded a re-test for the NEET 2024 exam, saying, “It has been proven beyond doubt that the papers were leaked days before the exams. Notification of an anti-paper leak law alone cannot provide relief to the NEET aspirants of 2024. All aspirants who want a re-test should be given a fresh opportunity to qualify for the prestigious exam.”
The former minister asserted that the paper leak was a crime against students and that the culprits should receive exemplary punishment. Notably, the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing nationwide criticism over the alleged irregularities. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 out of 720, raising further concerns.
The government has notified an anti-paper leak law to combat cheating in various national exams, proposing severe punishments. The law proposes up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 crore. Additionally, it includes deterrent provisions to attach and forfeit the property of institutions found involved in organized paper leak crimes.
