India’s Medical Entrance Exams Under Fire Amid Corruption Scandals and Paper Leaks

India's premier entrance exams for medical schools and research programs are facing unprecedented scrutiny due to rampant corruption and paper leaks, jeopardizing the futures of over three million students. The National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting these exams, is at the heart of the controversy.

The integrity of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), held last month for medical aspirants, has been particularly questioned. The exam results on June 4 revealed irregularities in scores and an unusually high number of top scorers.

Why This Matters : These anomalies led to multiple arrests across the country for alleged paper leaks and large-scale cheating schemes. Around 2.4 million students took the NEET, vying for 100,000 seats in medical schools.

In response to the allegations, many students have taken their grievances to the Supreme Court and state high courts. They have also staged protests in extreme heat and launched social media campaigns, demanding independent investigations and a re-examination.

The crisis deepened on June 19 when Narendra Modi's government canceled the National Eligibility Test (NET) for research fellowships, just a day after one million students sat for the exam. Reports indicated that the questions had been leaked on the darknet and circulated via Telegram, according to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Although Pradhan did not detail how the leaks occurred, he acknowledged the institutional failure and promised reforms. "We will not compromise on transparency. Students' welfare is our priority," Pradhan stated.

Critics, including opposition leaders and legal experts, have lambasted the Modi administration for its inability to address corruption in these crucial exams. Rishi Shukla, a law research scholar in Lucknow, criticized the NTA's failure to maintain the integrity of the exams. "The NTA literally has one job to do [to conduct exams] and it has failed miserably," Shukla said.

Key Takeaways:

• NTA faces scrutiny over NEET exam integrity and corruption allegations.
• NEET results show irregularities, leading to multiple arrests nationwide.
• Students protest and demand independent probes and re-examinations.
• NET exam canceled due to question leaks on darknet and Telegram.
• Critics condemn government's failure to prevent corruption in elite exams.