Pradhan: It’s institutional failure, top NTA leadership under lens

New Delhi, June 22

The “top leadership” of the National Testing Agency (NTA) is under the scanner over alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday even as he denied any paper leak in the CSIR-UGC NET, which was postponed on Friday.

Amid a raging row over irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET, the minister said he was the custodian of students’ interests and had to take that into account before taking any step.

Asked about any inquiry into the NTA’s role, Pradhan said, “I have already said there has been an institutional failure. I have taken the responsibility. NTA’s top leadership is under several types of questions. But I have to safeguard students’ interests first. I am a custodian of their interests.”

Responding to queries on NEET-UG irregularities in Gujarat’s Godhra, Pradhan said the issue in Godhra was not of a paper leak, but of organised cheating where 30 students were debarred.

Earlier this week, the ministry sought a report from the Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit, which is investigating the allegations of paper leak in NEET. “The report has not been received yet… But it is certain that anybody involved or responsible for any irregularity will not be spared,” the minister said. (With PTI inputs)