New Delhi, 18 Jun (UNI) With the re-test for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) scheduled for June 21, the Centre has intensified preparations for the high-stakes medical entrance examination. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday chaired a review meeting to assess arrangements for the re-conduct of the exam, which is expected to be taken by millions of aspirants across the country.
The Education Minister announced stringent measures after the earlier exam held on May 3 was cancelled last month over allegations of paper leak. Pradhan directed the officials to remain vigilant and ensure that necessary measures were in place for the “free and fair” conduct of the re-examination.
He urged for robust central and state-level coordination, directing the appointed officers in the various states to handle the re-examination process, while reporting to the command centre of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the central body conducting entrance examinations in India.
During the meeting, Director General, NTA, Abhishek Singh, stated that NTA was working with all stakeholders concerned, including the district-level coordination committees headed by the DMs, state police departments, and intelligence agencies, to ensure that the re-examination was conducted smoothly, the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier on Tuesday, the government temporarily banned Telegram, a major messaging app, until June 22, a day after the exam, over concerns of the misuse of the platform for cheating.
The ministry also asked the app to disable the message-editing feature until 30 June in India, saying that it had been used to “fabricate” evidence of paper leaks.
The restriction was issued under a provision of India’s IT law that allows the government to block access to online platforms in the interests of the country’s “sovereignty and integrity”.
NTA welcomed the move, saying that it was taken in response to the “organised use of the platform (Telegram) by cheating rackets to defraud candidates”.
Taking to social media, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has called the ban a “mistake”, arguing that the move by the Indian IT Ministry would not “stop anything”, as those responsible for the leaks have already moved to other apps.
The company challenged the decision on Wednesday, taking the Indian government to Court. Justice Tejas Karia heard the matter in Court and asked the government to present their arguments on Thursday, while upholding the ban.
