'SPECTATOR': DMK SLAMS BJP-LED GOVT OVER NEET IRREGULARITIES, CALLS FOR TEST ABOLITION

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Saturday sharply criticized the National Testing Agency (NTA) and accused the BJP-led central government of failing to uphold the integrity of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The DMK also demanded the abolition of NEET, saying that this measure alone would preserve the sanctity of the education sector.

The critique was published in DMK's Tamil mouthpiece 'Murasoli', which accused the central government of being passive and supporting profit-driven coaching centers. The editorial referred to the recent Supreme Court disclosure that grace marks awarded to 1,563 students would be rescinded, alleging that such action would not have occurred without judicial intervention, reported PTI.

Over recent years, multiple irregularities in NEET have gone unnoticed by the central government, the editorial claimed. This year, such malpractices were reportedly conducted openly, prompting the NTA to advance the test results from the initially scheduled June 14 to June 4, coinciding with the Lok Sabha election results, in an alleged attempt to conceal the discrepancies.

The DMK highlighted the irregularity of awarding extensive grace marks, describing it as "national injustice." They argued that the BJP government was serving the interests of lucrative coaching centers, thus imposing a corporatized model on the education sector.

Tamil Nadu, with the backing of major political parties, including the DMK, has consistently opposed NEET. The state assembly passed a bill seeking exemption from NEET, which is pending Presidential assent.

The party reiterated its call for scrapping NEET or exempting Tamil Nadu from its purview, a demand the BJP government has dismissed as politically motivated. However, the editorial noted that affected students themselves have now approached the Supreme Court, seeking to nullify the NEET held on May 5, 2024, and implement stringent measures against irregularities.

The Supreme Court's acknowledgment that NEET-UG's sanctity was compromised points to the NTA and the central government's negligence, the DMK stated. They argued that abolishing NEET is the only permanent and fair solution to protect the integrity of the education sector.

The DMK further criticized the central government and NTA for their unified stance in court and questioned the credibility of the upcoming retest scheduled for June 23 for students whose grace marks were withdrawn.