Health Ministry, NBE officials review NEET-PG exam process two days after postpone notice

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Top officials from the Union health ministry and the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences reviewed the process of the NEET-PG exam on Monday, two days after the entrance examination to was postponed.

The meeting was held to check the "robustness" of the system for the conduct of the exam in the coming days, sources said as per the PTI report.

"The process of uploading the NEET-PG exam paper starts an hour before the exam is to be held. This time it was postponed as a preventive measure to ensure the exam is held in a transparent and secure manner. New dates will be announced soon depending upon the availability of centres," the source said as per PTI.

The National Eligibility Entrance Test (Postgraduate) entrance examination is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), along with its technical partner Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), for medical students.

According to sources, senior officers from the TCS were present in the meeting.

The government on Saturday postponed the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.

"Taking into consideration the recent incidents of allegations regarding the integrity of certain competitive examinations, the Ministry of Health has decided to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of processes of NEET-PG entrance examination, conducted by the National Board of Examination for medical students," the ministry had said on Saturday postponing the exam.

"It has accordingly been decided, as a precautionary measure, to postpone the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held tomorrow -- 23rd June, 2024," it had stated.

NEET-PG postponement another example that education system ruined under Modi: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday over the postponement of the NEET-PG, saying it was yet "another unfortunate example that the education system has been ruined".

The Union Health Ministry said on Saturday that it has decided to postpone the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams. In a post in Hindi on 'X', Gandhi said, "Now NEET-PG is also postponed. This is another unfortunate example of the education system that has been ruined under the rule of Narendra Modi."

Under the BJP's rule, instead of building their careers by studying, students are forced to fight the government to save their future, he said. "Now it is clear -- Modi, who used to silently watch the spectacle every time -- is completely helpless in front of the paper leak racket and education mafia," the former Congress chief said.

"Narendra Modi's incompetent government is the biggest threat to the future of students. We have to save the future of the country from it," he added. Facing flak over alleged irregularities in competitive exams, the Centre on Saturday shunted out National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Singh and set up a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the agency's functioning and recommend exam reforms.

On Friday, the June edition of the Joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (CSIR-UGC-NET) was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances and logistic issues. On Wednesday, UGC-NET was cancelled following inputs that the exam's integrity was compromised.

Opposition parties have also claimed irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG, the results of which were announced by NTA on June 4. A probe into the alleged irregularities in this exam has been handed over to CBI.