'Govt has nothing to hide, all facts in SC, House open for any kind of discussion': Dharmendra Pradhan in LS on NEET-UG

New Delhi: Speaking in Lok Sabha during the Budget Session on Monday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addressed questions on the NEET-UG paper leak issue, stating that the central government has nothing to hide and has submitted all the facts regarding the matter to the Supreme Court.
The hearing on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG paper leak case is underway in the top court, with Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud leading the bench. The court is expected to pronounce the verdict today.
"The government has nothing to hide. We have put all the facts before the Supreme Court. Right now, the Supreme Court is hearing the case. So let's wait and see what instructions the court gives. This House is open for any kind of discussion," Pradhan said in response to a question raised by Congress MP Manickam Tagore.
The Education Minister claimed that there had been no evidence of paper leaks in the last seven years, except for a "singular incident" in Patna during the recent NEET-UG held on May 5 this year.
"There is no evidence of paper leaks in the last seven years. This case is currently before the Supreme Court, and all the facts have come out. The Chief Justice of India is presiding over the case," he said.
"Since the establishment of the National Testing Agency (NTA), more than 240 exams have been conducted, with over 5 crore students applying and more than 4.5 crore students successfully participating in the examinations," he added.
When asked if he would resign from his position due to the alleged irregularities, Pradhan said, "I serve at the pleasure of my leader, PM Modi. When questions of accountability arise, our government will be answerable. Regarding anomalies and information about malpractice, out of 4700 cases, there is only one incident in Patna, and the CBI and police are taking action on it."
"Right now, the matter is before the Supreme Court, and the Chief Justice of India is personally presiding over the case," the Education Minister reiterated.
Addressing the issue, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav said that the current government would set a record for paper leaks. Pradhan responded by stating that the previous Congress-led UPA government had supported the centralization process and that current criticisms were politically motivated.
"On the instructions and guidance of the Supreme Court, this nationwide single examination pattern has been successfully implemented. Due to differing views, the Supreme Court instructed that this centralised exam pattern must be maintained.
"The Supreme Court also instructed that the list of candidates for the exam be published on the website. The full list has been available on an open platform for the past three days. Candidates from Kerala have also performed well, so does that mean there is malpractice involved there as well?" he added.
Earlier, on July 18, the Supreme Court directed the NTA to publish the NEET-UG results for 2024 on their website, ensuring the anonymity of candidates.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, stated that the Education Minister had blamed everyone except himself for the issue.
"It's obvious to the whole country that there is a very serious problem with our examination system. This is not just about the NEET but also about all major examinations. Now, the minister has blamed everyone except himself. I don't think he understands the fundamentals of what's going on here," said Rahul Gandhi.
Responding to the discussion, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that the matter is in court and that playing "blame games" would negatively impact the Indian education system.
"This will affect the Indian education system. The agency is investigating, and the matter is in court. We should not play blame games," he said.