NEET row: Academicians urge Centre to uphold exam integrity, say quick fixes won't do

New Delhi: As the row over irregularities in competitive exams continues to rage, several academicians on Sunday urged the Centre to preserve the integrity of exams and stressed that overnight solutions are not possible in such complex cases.

Facing flak over alleged discrepancies in competitive exams, the Centre on Saturday shunted out National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Singh and handed over the probe into irregularities in medical entrance exam NEET-UG to the CBI.

The Education Ministry also set up a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the agency's functioning and recommend exam reforms.

It postponed the NEET-PG entrance, the fourth entrance exam to be impacted in recent days.

The academics said that removal of National Testing Agency chief and ordering CBI probe into the NEET irregularities will build trust among students.

"Since this is an issue which impacts lakhs of students, a thorough investigation into the irregularities is required for an informed decision."

"Overnight solutions are not possible in such complex cases. The government has already formed high level committee. Lets wait for all the inputs to come. We need to have patience," Govind Rangarajan, Director, Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-Bangalore, said.

Anil Sahasrabuddhe, Chairman of National Education Technology Forum, said the decision to hand over all NTA cases to CBI has reposed confidence in the students.

"The announcement of high-powered committee with Dr Radhakrishnan as chairman and six other eminent academic is timely corrective action to build the trust amongst students. The Radhakrishnan committee shall pave the way for robust transparent zero error process of end to end examination system fixing accountability of every functionary and desired checks and balances creating confidence among students," he said.

Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education Services, said there should not be retest for the 24 lakh candidates who appeared for NEET.

"It will be unfair to put everybody through the process. Retest should be at only those centers where things have gone wrong. Government is taking steps to ensure integrity of examination," he said.

University Grants Commission Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar welcomed the setting up a panel on exam reforms.

"The Committee's emphasis on recommending reforms in the examination process, enhancing data security protocols, and improving the NTA's structure and functioning will strengthen our national entrance examination system. Protecting student's interests and their future is our top priority," he said.

The Centre is under fire over alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET.

While the medical entrance exam question paper was allegedly leaked according to an investigation by the Bihar Police, UGC-NET was cancelled a day after it was conducted following inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised.

The matter is also being probed by the CBI.