"Centre will make decision in best interest of students": Union Minister Chirag Paswan on NEET Exam row

New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): Amid the Centre's intensified efforts to bring the accused in the alleged NEET exam row to the court of law, Union Minister Chirag Paswan said that the government would make an appropriate decision in the case and that it would be in the best interest of students.
Speaking to ANI on Monday, Chirag Paswan said, "Discussion is always done after the Motion of Thanks on the president's address. The government has nothing to hide on the NEET issue. The central agencies are carrying out investigations on the issue of paper leaks. The government will take a decision in the best interest of students."
Recalling his interactions with students, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Monday referred to the medical entrance exam as a "commercial exam" and said that students appearing for NEET alleged that the exam is designed for "rich students and not meritorious students."
Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to a joint sitting of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government over the paper leak issue and said that there is fear among everyone in the nation.
"NEET students spend years and years preparing for their exams. Their family supports them financially, and emotionally and the truth is that NEET students today do not believe in the exam because they are convinced that the exam is designed for rich people, not meritorious people. I have met several NEET students. Every single one of them tells me that the exam is designed to create a quota for rich people and to create a passage for them into the system and is designed not to help poor students. The students prepare for months and months," Rahul Gandhi said.
The Hajipur MP Paswan also spoke on the new criminal laws and said, "The laws were passed after holding proper discussions. New provisions have been added. The opposition should not oppose everything that is passed by the government."
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP on Monday over various issues, including the ongoing row over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and arrests of opposition leaders.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also raised the issue of alleged irregularities in the NEET examination in the Lok Sabha and demanded a separate one-day discussion on the issue in Parliament.
"A message is disseminated to the country, from Parliament. We want to send a message to students that NEET issue is important for the Parliament. So, to send this message, we want the Parliament to discuss this," the Congress leader said.
Rahul Gandhi demanded an extra day for the discussion of the NEET issue.
Responding to this, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said, "You can give your suggestions, but I decide."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh responded to Rahul Gandhi's demand and said that any discussion should be done only after the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.
"Parliament proceedings are carried out based on some rules and traditions. I request the opposition that any discussion be done only after the motion of thanks on the President's address," he said.
However, opposition MPs walk out of the Lok Sabha as the Speaker refuses Rahul Gandhi's suggestion for a one-day discussion on NEET.
Meanwhile, the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Monday announced the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) retest held on June 23, for 1563 candidates.
The NTA in a public notice on June 30 also declared the revision of the rank of all candidates who appeared in the exam. The retest was held on June 23 after a controversy erupted regarding the awarding of grace marks to certain students.
The notice further stated that the revised scorecards of all the candidates of the NEET UG 2024 exam, including the 1563 candidates who appeared for the retest on June 23 would be hosted on the website.
The NEET UG examination was conducted by the National Testing Agency on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities in the country and 14 cities abroad, with 23 lakh candidates appearing for the examination.
The results were declared on June 4, which immediately caused a hue and cry with aspirants raising multiple issues.
An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720 led to widespread protests in the country. (ANI)