Looking back at my 12th marksheet, I always feel a bit proud. I got a 92 in Mathematics, 95 in Physics, 95 in Chemistry, and 100 in Computer Science. Trust me. I really put a lot of hard work into getting these results.
But if somebody told me the exam got canceled due to a paper leak, I would beat the s*it out of him.
And you would also do it if you were in my place.
But this is the reality of many students. Paper leaks have a direct impact on student's life. When you think about this problem, you will say what a useless problem we have to deal with.
A government that claims it stopped the Russia-Ukraine War, had no guts to stop paper leaks!!!
So, why paper leaks are a big problem in India? And who is behind these paper leaks? This is not only about the ongoing NEET paper leak scam, but scams happening all over India.
NEET (UG)Scam:
Let us talk about the recent scam that took place a week ago. The NEET or the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is an exam conducted all over India for undergraduate admissions for medical, dental, and Ayush courses. Before 2016, there used to be the All India Pre-Medical Test(AIPMT). Since its introduction in 2016, NEET has been conducted by CBSE(Central Board of State Education). But in 2019, it was given to an autonomous body called NTA(National Testing Agency). The reason to give the responsibility of the NEET to NTA was because of its independence, and transparency and to gain the confidence of the students and parents.
So, the registration for NEET 2024 was given a deadline of 8th March. Then it was postponed to 1 week later. And it registration was opened again on the 9th and 10th of April due to a "Stakeholders" request.
On 5th May 2024, when exams were conducted, cases of paper leaks were reported in states like Odisha and Gujarat.
But the real scam took place on 4th June 2024, when the results were announced. It was planned to be announced on 14th June but was announced 10 days before. The day it was announced was the day of election results. 67 students got 720/720. Some students got 718 or 719 which is not even possible to get in this exam. NTA defended this by saying we have given grace marks to the students who have lost time due to external factors.
But, my question is if they did lose time why didn't the NTA have any provision to extend the time for these students. And grace marks would be given in a very small amount, not this much to score 720/720.
So, there has been a scam. The Supreme Court is now hearing the pleas of students and parents. The opposition, the Congress party has surrounded the NDA government on its failure to control the paper leak. Rahul Gandhi has promised to raise this issue in the parliament.
I'm pretty sure you are following the news of the developments and I'm not going into much detail about the scam.
Ok, how papers are leaked. NEET is just the tip of the iceberg. Since it is held nationally, it is obvious that it's on the news. To understand how bad this problem is, let us discuss India's biggest paper leak scam that has taken lives literally.
VYAPAM SCAM
Trust me. This scam is so popular that you can make a Netflix documentary. This scam has killed nearly 43 people mainly students, teachers, and parents. Vyapam or Vyavasik Pariksha Mandal is an exam committee to oversee the exams of Madhya Pradesh. It was introduced by the Madhya Pradesh Government in the 1980s to give admissions to professional courses. But in 2009, there was a paper leak under this system. The education minister, Laxmikanth Sharma, BJP was arrested in this case. Government employees were also arrested.
When the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan, inquired about a probe, nothing was found. In 2013, the police arrested some suspects who leaked the paper. But suddenly media reported in 2015 that the people who were questioned died under mysterious circumstances. Some 19-year-old students were killed. The cause of death was said as suicide but when a post-mortem was conducted it is evident that they were strangled. Journalists, who were trying to cover this issue were dead under mysterious circumstances.
This is still a mystery that has not been solved.
So, who is involved in a paper leak case?
Three people are mainly involved in these paper leaks.
1. Question Solvers
2. Government Officials
3. Exam Mafia
1. Question Solvers
Question Solvers are those who solve the questions in the examination in place of the candidate who will write the exam. Let us understand them with an example.
A bus in Rajasthan was going to an exam center. The bus was taking the candidates for the RPSC(Rajasthan Public Service Commission). Rajasthan police learned that this bus had question solvers traveling with the students. And their guess was right. About 20 question solvers were there.
These people use Bluetooth, ear pods, hidden cameras, etc to communicate the questions to them and give the answer to the students.
Sometimes, instead of the candidates, these question solvers pose themselves as candidates with fake admit cards and enter the examination. One example was the JEE 2016 exam in Assam where a candidate gave the exam with a fake identity card.
Well, the cases of these question solvers involved in these scams are numerous. For example, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission had to cancel its exam due to these question solvers helping students from various parts of the state.
If we talk about the present NEET exam these solver gangs played a major role in getting answers to the questions. The students were ready to pay about 5 Lakh to 6 Lakh for just telling answers to them.
2. Government Officials
Let's understand their role in the case of Paper Leaks in the Telangana Service Commission. Praveen
was a government official. He was working under the commissioner. So he had access to all papers. This man was solely responsible for the leak of recruiting engineers in the Telangana Government. So you see how Government officials play a huge role.
3. Exam Mafia
Looks like a criminal agency right? Exam mafia doesn't necessarily have criminals here. It includes politicians, printing press owners, CRPF officers, and many more.
Let's understand them by examples.
In the Gujarat Panchayat Service Selection Board, the exam had to be canceled for the third time because of a leak. When CBI investigated it, we came to know that the papers were distributed through Telegram by a printing press owner whose company was responsible for releasing hard copies of the paper.
The Rajasthan Forest Guard Exam and the Himachal Pradesh Police Constable exams were also leaked in the same manner.
Papers were sold at astonishing prices. For eg, the Arunachal Pradesh recruitment for Assistant Engineers paper was sold from 8 lakhs to 30 Lakhs.
In Jammu and Kashmir police recruitment, the responsible group was a Haryana-based gang and some CRPF officers.
NEET-UG exam has been added to this list. And NEET-PG and UGC-NET exams are postponed
Not only government exams but school exams have also been affected. And don't blame only the BJP for this because all the parties have similar grades in paper leak control which is F-.
Shall I list all of them?
In Uttar Pradesh exam papers were leaked nine times from 2017 to 2024. Inspectors online recruitment test(2017), UPTET, PET, UP Constable Exam in 2024, Class 12 Board exams in 2022.
In Gujarat, as I said previously the GPSSB, GPSC exam leak, Talati exams, and the Teacher aptitude test and has undergone 14 paper leaks. Rajasthan also has the same track record
In West Bengal, the teacher recruitment scam, Class 10 board exams.
Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Haryana and many other states have recorded Paper Leaks.
And the Prime Minister of the country who is expected to give answers, is just silent, not giving any statement on the issue. So how should we remember him? A Prime Minister who claimed to have stopped a global war can't stop a paper leak!?
The Education Minister who should be on the scene and the news right now, claims that there has been no scam in NEET. When agreed finally, he set up an investigating committee that also has the removed NTA chairman. What kind of logic is this?
When the Railway Minister was asked in the parliament about the Group D Railway Examinations, he openly said that there has been no scam despite the evidence provided.
It shows the NDA government's arrogance. But don't think the opposition is an angel.
Under the Congress state government in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the states saw the maximum number of paper leaks. When will the Leader of the Opposition answer? DMK in Tamil Nadu couldn't stop paper leaks of simple Class 10 and 12 board examinations. So much for their "successful" Dravidian Model. Kerala, the most literate state. Just three days ago, police started a probe on FMGE.(Probe is going on). TMC also has a very good record in exam leaks(WB Teacher Recruitment Scam 2016).
IMPACT ON STUDENTS
But all said and done, the biggest losers are the students. Preparing day and night, studying for 10-12 hours, people literally giving their jewels and taking loans just to send their son/daughter to a good college or school. Trust me, a student has to go through a lot during his/her preparations. Pressure from outside, and sometimes when paper leaks happen it creates a big mental issue for them that can sometimes lead to suicide.
SOLUTIONS:
Finally, what are the solutions? It's easy to complain but difficult to find a solution.
The government has brought an Anti-Copying Law, but bringing the law is not a big thing. Implementation says it all.
1. Bring Transparency:
The biggest problem with all these paper leaks is that it has a lack of transparency. There is no accountability with institutions and government. This will ensure no "behind the bush" business and everything can happen in front of the general public.
2. Install a cyber patrol wing in the Anti-Copying Law:
With the examples of Gujarat, Kerala, and Bihar, it's evident that papers are leaked through social media. A cyber patrol wing would track down these kinds of accounts and can find who is trying to use unfair means.
Some of these small solutions, if implemented correctly would stop paper leaks to a very large extent. It's important to voice out against the government and institutions that are opaque and that are not answering the questions we ask. Unless we don't ask the questions, nobody will.
Thank you for reading the blog. It really took a long time to research and write. Do give your comments on this issue(Let's be respectful).
A special thanks to Clark Kent for researching this issue.
Sources:
The Indian Express
The Hindu
The Times of India
India Today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKsd7uKGRoc&t=491s- Mohak Mangal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB3I-Wu4TO0- Open Letter
See you in the next blog.
Update: The supreme court has said that Re-NEET is the last option( As of 8th July 2024)
I understand how it is to feel devasted after not going through an exam especially NEET
ReplyDeleteYour blog just motivated to be grateful for where I am and who I have become
Thank you for the facts😁💯👍🏻