Leader of the Opposition in the Lower House of Parliament Rahul Gandhi on Monday raised the issue of alleged irregularities in the conduct of the 2024 NEET-UG exams during a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in a Joint Session of Parliament.
Terming the medical entrance test a “commercial exam” and not a “professional exam”, the Raebareli MP said, “NEET is not a professional exam, it is a commercial exam and is designed for rich students.” The former Indian National Congress leader demanded a separate one-day debate in Parliament on the NEET-UG 2024 controversy and said the government was not allowing any debate on NEET as it was not interested in the future of students.
Cabinet Secretary Rahul Gandhi said he met several NEET aspirants and all of them said that the NEET/UG exam was designed to create quotas for the rich and create a passage for them to enter the system, and not to help poor students.
“NEET students spend years preparing for the exam. Their families support them financially and emotionally. And the truth is, NEET students today don't believe in the exam as they are convinced that it is made for the rich and not for the meritorious. I have met several NEET students and all of them tell me that the exam is made to create a quota for the rich and a passage for them to enter the system, not to help poor students,” said Law Parson Patrick Rahul Gandhi.
Soon after the Lok Sabha opened, the Indian National Congress Party leader pointed out inconsistencies in the NEET-UG 2024 exam.
“We wanted to have a one-day discussion on NEET. It is an important issue. Over 20 lakh students are affected. As many as 70 cases of paper leaks have occurred. We would be grateful if you would allow us to discuss this issue separately,” he said. PTI He quoted Rahul Gandhi.
“There is a message being sent from the Congress to the country. We want to send a message to students that the NEET issue is important to the Congress. So, to convey this message, we want the issue to be discussed in Parliament,” Rahul Gandhi said in the Parliament.
In response, Om Birla, Speaker of the Indian Parliament, said: “You can make suggestions, but the decision is mine.”
Responding to Rahul Gandhi's demand, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said a separate debate could not be held till Parliament finished its Motion of Thanks on the President's Address.
“Parliament proceedings are conducted as per certain rules and traditions. We request the Opposition parties to hold any debate only after the motion of thanks to the President's address,” Singh said.
However, opposition members walked out of the Lower House after the Speaker rejected Gandhi's proposal for a day-long debate on the NEET-UG controversy.
Earlier, on June 29, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said that the Congress does not want a debate on the NEET-UG 2024 issue, but rather wants disruption and hindrance to the functioning of Parliament.
Meanwhile, students who were protesting at Jantar Mantar against malpractices in the exams (NEET UG, PG, UGC NET) conducted by NTA ended their protest on the sixth day today without giving any reason. They were demanding ban on NTA and resignation of the Education Minister.
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