NEET Test Row: UDF Stopped From Deposing Before House Panel After BJP Leaders' Objection

The upheaval following the cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET held on May 3 refuses to die down.  The United Doctors Front (UDF), which has been vocal in demanding the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA), was not allowed to depose before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education headed by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, after protests by BJP MPs.

Earlier, BJP members had raised similar reservations against representatives of the Indian Medical Association.

As per media reports, the committee was to ponder upon recent irregularities in the NEET examination and even the NTA’s functioning. Also discussions on the merits of a computer-based test as opposed to pen and paper test were slated in the committee’s agenda.

Disruption in the committee began when representatives from United Doctor’s Front (UDF) were to be called upon as witnesses before the committee. Sources cited in The Hindu reveal that BJP MP Bhim Singh raised objections over the presence of witnesses who were not neutral, according to him.  

It must be noted that rules prohibit disclosure of details in the committee before the results are tabled on the floor of Parliament and hence members refrain from directly commenting on the same in the media.

Objections by BJP members come in wake of UDF’s vocal demand for dissolution of the NTA and changes in the examination system. Lakshay Mittal, chair of the doctors’ body, told reporters that UDF had given the names of its representatives and a memorandum of demands a week ago.

He added that “NTA should be dissolved and a new examination body should be created through an Act of Parliament. Such a body should be made accountable to Parliament. Currently, NTA is neither accountable nor does it have adequate auditing mechanisms.”

Also, the UDF had earlier filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court to set in place an independent testing authority in place of NTA. Such an authority, as per UDF, ought to have direct parliamentary oversight, strong anti-leak mechanisms, and comprehensive audits as well.