NEET Exam Controversy: Confessions Reveal Massive Malpractice in Bihar
The NEET exam controversy continues to escalate as sensational confessions to the Bihar Economic Offences Unit (EOU) reveal widespread lapses in this year's medical entrance examination. Suspects have disclosed that candidates paid over Rs 30 lakh for leaked question papers, highlighting severe irregularities despite assurances from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Pradhan has asserted that there is no scope for malpractice or irregularities in the conduct of exams. "Every aspect is being looked into. Accountability will be fixed, and action will be taken based on the nature of the lapse. The accountability of NTA will also be fixed if lapses are found," he said.
Summons Issued and Arrests Made
On Saturday, the EOU issued notices to nine candidates, summoning them to their Patna office with evidence to probe their association with the 'solver gang'. These candidates, from various districts of Bihar, were asked to appear on Monday and Tuesday. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has yet to respond to these developments.
In the ongoing investigation, the EOU found the roll numbers of 13 candidates, of whom four had been arrested earlier. The EOU then sought information from the NTA about the remaining nine candidates and a reference question paper. EOU Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Manavjit Singh Dhillon stated that the NTA had sent the candidates' admit cards, which helped the agency obtain their contact details before sending out the notices. The students will be questioned about whether they were made to memorise the questions by the solver gang before the exam.
Sensational Confessions
So far, 14 people have been arrested following the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged malpractices. India Today has exclusively accessed the confessions of the arrested individuals, which indicate an exchange of money for the question papers. The statements reveal that medical aspirants paid over Rs 30 lakh each to brokers for the leaked papers.
A key figure, a 56-year-old junior engineer with the Bihar government named Sikandar Kumar Yadavendu, confessed his role during interrogation. In his statement, Sikandar admitted to meeting Nitish and Amit Anand—who ran an educational consultancy firm—at his government office in Patna. Together, they agreed to collaborate on the scheme. Sikandar maintained contact with the families of some NEET aspirants, negotiating financial terms.
Sikandar further revealed that Amit and Nitish acquired the question paper on 4th May and gathered candidates in a safe house in Ramkrishna Nagar, Patna. He was later arrested with Akhilesh and Bittu during a routine police check when several NEET admit cards were discovered.
Both Amit and Nitish have confessed to their involvement in the question paper leak, stating that they charged between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 32 lakh per candidate.
How the Nexus Operated
Preliminary investigations suggest that one of the arrested, Nitish Kumar, who had previously been jailed in the Bihar Public Service Commission Teacher Recruitment Examination (BPSC TRE) case, might be the key. The EOU suspects the same group, led by Sanjeev Singh in Bihar's Nalanda, was involved.
The nexus approached students through dubious educational consultancies and coaching groups. Amit Anand ran an unregistered educational consultancy in Patna. The modus operandi involved breaching the chain of custody from the printing firm to the examination centre by compromising the staff. After obtaining the questions, the nexus gathered students in safe houses, making them memorise the answers. They then transported the candidates to exam centres to prevent information leakage.
Highly-placed EOU sources indicate that the SIT monitored the case from the outset but formed the team only after making 13 critical arrests, including a junior engineer and a person accused in the BPSC TRE 3.0 question paper leak case.
Conclusion
The NEET exam row has unveiled a complex web of malpractice involving substantial sums of money and sophisticated operations. As the investigation continues, the accountability of involved parties, including the NTA, remains under scrutiny. The unfolding revelations highlight the urgent need for stringent measures to ensure the integrity of competitive examinations in India.
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