New Delhi: CBI Director Praveen Sood on Friday apprised a parliamentary panel about the progress made in the probe into the NEET-UG paper leak case and the steps being taken to arrest all those behind the leakage.
Top officials of the Union Education Ministry led by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh and officials of the National Medical Commission (NMC) including its chairman Abhijat Chandrakant Sheth also appeared before the panel.
Sources said the officials informed the Parliament’s Committee on Government Assurances about the steps being taken to ensure transparency in the June 21 NEET-UG retest to prevent any leakage or malpractice.
The panel had summoned officials of the ministry, the National Testing Agency (NTA), NMC and the CBI to appear before it in connection with the assurances given to Parliament by the government on the conduct of examinations by the testing agency.
According to the sources, the committee told the officials to ensure that the seat matrix of medical admissions is not disturbed and counselling of students qualifying for admissions to medical colleges is held in time.
The seat matrix outlines the distribution of available medical and super-specialty seats across the country. It also classifies seats by quota and the student category.
The CBI director informed the panel members on the progress made by the probe agency into the paper leak case, the number of persons arrested so far and the steps being taken to arrest the remaining accused, the sources said.
The ministry officials also informed the panel about the steps being taken by the government to ensure fairness in the conduct of the NEET-UG on June 21.
Committee chairperson M Thambidurai did not say anything on what happened at the meeting, saying the proceedings of the panel were confidential.
The NEET-UG for admissions into medical courses took place on May 3 this year but was cancelled by the NTA on May 12 amid allegations of a paper leak. The CBI is currently investigating this matter, and a retest is scheduled for June 21.
The committee summoned the officials as the government had given an assurance in the Rajya Sabha in reply to an unstarred question dated November 27, 2024, regarding “Conduct of Examination by NTA”.
In its written reply to the question in November 2024, the Education Ministry had stated that as informed by the NTA, contracts for conducting examinations are awarded to agencies “as per the extant rules, orders and guidelines issued by the Government of India”.
The ministry had also informed the House that complaints against vendors are dealt with in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down in the work order or tender document and action ranges “from deduction of payment to debarment” upon ascertaining deficiency of service.
On the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case, the ministry had said the CBI was conducting a “comprehensive investigation into the entire gamut of alleged irregularities including conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust etc.” and had filed five chargesheets against 45 accused as on November 22, 2024.
In response to another question by Jose K Mani on the issue of NEET-UG paper leak in 2024, the government had also informed Rajya Sabha that after conducting the NEET-UG 2024 examination, certain cases of alleged irregularities/cheating/malpractices were reported.
The government had also said in Rajya Sabha that to suggest effective measures for transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations by the NTA, the Ministry of Education has constituted a seven-member high-level committee of experts headed by Dr K Radhakrishnan, former ISRO chairman.
