The Student Federation of India (SFI) on Tuesday, June 11, protested against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), outside Shastri Bhavan in Chennai’s Nungambakkam. The protesters demanded to scrap the test since the exam and the National Testing Agency (NTA) that conducted the test, have been embroiled in controversy after results of NEET-UG were announced on June 4. The SFI called the NTA “incompetent and unqualified” and demanded that the test be scrapped.
The protesters were forcefully detained at a marriage hall in Nungambakkam by the police for attempting to block the roads
In a statement, the SFI said, “The way in which the National Medical Commission (NMC) and NTA are jointly privatising medical education under the Modi government is dangerous for the future of the country. There was an argument of endless corruption for changing the state-based joint entrance examination system in the medical field, now there are allegations regarding NTA’s NEET-UG.” Calling for an investigation into the “scam,” the association demanded that the test should be scrapped.
Read : Explained: The allegations of scam surrounding NEET UG 2024
It may be noted that several politicians and medical aspirants have been alleging malpractices while conducting the NEET-UG test this year. Students have alleged that before the test commenced on May 5, the NEET UG question paper had been leaked at some exam centres. Atleast 3 police cases have also been filed in this regard. The suspicion of malpractices grew among aspirants and activists alike after several students from the same centre secured the perfect score of 720/720. The NTA also awarded grace marks to students from centres where allegations of “loss of time” due to delayed question paper distribution were reported from. Several students had also challenged the answer key since for a question in physics there were two correct answers.