Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh Demands Resignation of Education Minister Over NEET Controversy

New Delhi, June 30: Congress leader and party general secretary Jairam Ramesh has raised concerns about the National Testing Agency (NTA) and its practices. He claims that the NTA conducts all tests through private companies and has called for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Concerns Over NEET and Other Exams

Jairam Ramesh stated that the issue is not limited to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) but also affects other exams like NET, UGC, and NCERT. He emphasized that the NTA, which is under the Ministry of Education, should not rely on private companies for conducting exams.

Allegations of Scams

Ramesh pointed out that scams have occurred in states like Bihar, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, which are ruled by the BJP. He mentioned that the Education Minister initially downplayed the issue but later called for a CBI investigation and formed a high-level committee.

CBI Investigation

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a criminal case on June 23 to probe alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams conducted by the NTA. The FIR mentioned isolated incidents in a few states during the NEET (UG) 2024 exam held on May 5.

Demand for Special Status for Bihar

Jairam Ramesh also questioned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar about the resolution passed demanding special status for Bihar. He urged the JD(U) to pressure their ally BJP to grant special status, conduct a caste census, and remove the 50% reservation limit imposed by the Supreme Court.

The JD(U) National Executive meeting reiterated its demand for special status and a special package for Bihar, citing the state’s economic and social backwardness.