NEET UG Exam and UGC NET June 2024 Live Updates: NSUI members barge into NTA office, demand its closure

A case is registered under section 186/ 353/ 452/ 342/34 of IPC against NSUI workers for barging into the NTA office during a protest against the NEET issue: Delhi Police

The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Thursday protested at the Jantar Mantar here over the alleged rigging of the NEET UG exam and against the Agniveer Scheme and claimed that police resorted to lathicharge. However, the police used 'mild force' when the protesters tried to break the barricades but did not use lathicharge, a senior police officer said.

In a statement, IYC claimed that when the protesters moved forward to gherao the Parliament led by IYC national president Srinivas BV, police tried to stop them with barricades, and lathicharge.

Several workers were also detained, it said.

Several IYC workers gathered at the Jantar Mantar for the protest, raising slogans and carrying placards. IYC national president Srinivas BV alleged that the scam in the NEET exam is not just a fraud with 24 lakh students but also a fraud with the country's medical system and future.

A 17-year-old medical aspirant allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his rented accommodation here, police said on Thursday. This is the twelfth case of suspected suicide by a coaching student in Kota since January. The number of student suicides in Kota stood at 26 in 2023.

Bihar native Hrishit Kumar Agrawal, a student of Class 12, was preparing for NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) at a coaching institute here, Dadabari ASI Shambhu Dayal said.

He lived in a rented room in a building in Chota Chaurahin Dadabari area where some other coaching students also resided, he said.

At around 1 pm on Thursday, the other students informed police after Agrawal did not open his door when they knocked, he said

A CBI team investigating the NEET-UG malpractices case on Thursday recorded statements of three candidates who had allegedly paid an accused for helping them clear the medical entrance test held at a private school near Godhra in Gujarat. Besides the three candidates and their parents, the investigators were also questioning Dixit Patel, owner of the local Jay Jalaram School, at the Godhra circuit house, an official said. A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team has been camping in Gujarat for the last four days to probe alleged malpractice during the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test held on May 5.

Several members of the opposition INDIA bloc said on Thursday that they will be raising the issue of NEET-NET paper leaks mess in Parliament on June 28. The INDIA bloc held a meeting of its members at 5pm on Thursday to discuss the issues that will be raised in Parliament as well as election to the deputy speaker post.

"There was no logic in talking about Emergency in the address after 49 years. She should have spoken about today's issues," Tharoor told ANI.

"We did not hear anything about the NEET exam or unemployment. The word Manipur did not come from President Murmu or PM Modi. Issues like the India-China border should have been taken up in the address," he added.

The CBI on Thursday made its first arrests in the NEET-UG paper leak case, taking two people in custody in Patna, officials said. Manish Kumar and Ashutosh Kumar allegedly provided safe accommodation to the medical entrance exam aspirants before the examination where they were given leaked question papers and answer keys, the officials said.

Both were produced before a special court in Patna which sent them to judicial custody, they said.

The CBI will now seek their remand from the court to question them, they said.

Ashutosh Kumar had allegedly taken 'Learn Boys Hostel and Play School' in Patna on rent from where the Economic Offence Unit of Bihar Police had recovered half-burnt question papers of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate), they said.

The CBI has found that Ashutosh Kumar knew that the premises was being used for providing question papers to NEET aspirants, they said.

Officials of Delhi Police including Joint CP Southern Range SK Jain arrive at the office of National Testing Agency (NTA) following NSUI protest at the agency's office.

"National President Varun Chaudhary locked the Delhi office of NTA, a corrupt organization that is playing with the future of millions of students of the country, and demanded justice for students of all exams including NEET, NET, CUET. If NTA is not banned then we will lock all NTA offices across the country", NSUI said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday took a swipe at the BJP-led Centre and ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra, calling the dispensations "leakage governments", a reference to alleged irregularities in NEET and water seepage at Ayodhya Ram temple. Addressing a press conference, he also termed the monsoon session of the state legislature, which commenced on Thursday, as the "send-off" session of the government led by chief minister Eknath Shinde. He demanded that farm loans be waived before the assembly elections, scheduled later this year.

Earlier in the day, legislators belonging to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) raised slogans against the government over the NEET exam on the premises of the legislature complex.

Thackeray raked up the row over NEET and the recent statement of Acharya Satyendra Das, Ram Janmabhoomi temple's chief priest, about water leakage at the Ayodhya shrine, to target the Centre and state governments.

"The Centre and the state are leakage governments because exam papers (NEET) were leaked and there is leakage in the Ram temple sanctum sanctorum. They have no shame," he said.

Members of the National Students' Union of India -- Congress's student wing -- barged into the National Testing Agency's office in Okhla on Thursday. They were protesting against alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET-UG exam. Members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, forcefully entered the office of the National Testing Agency (NTA) located in Okhla, Delhi.

The NTA is currently facing controversy over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET-UG exam. The NSUI members raised slogans demanding the shutdown of the NTA.

On NEET paper leak, Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary says, "Action is going on this. We are bringing a law and the Government of India has also made a provision for a law, a provision has been made for 10 years of punishment and fine. We will also bring a law on this by the next session and by taking strict action and conducting speedy trial, we will work to punish the accused in 3-6 months."

The government is fully committed to investigating the recent incidents of paper leaks and ensure that the guilty are punished, President Droupadi Murmu said in her address to a joint sitting of Parliament. Addressing the 18th Lok Sabha for the first time, the president said her government is working to create an environment to enable youth of the country dream big and achieve them.

The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) organized a demonstration in Delhi on Thursday to voice their concerns regarding the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam and the recurring incidents of paper leaks in various other examinations. The protest drew a large crowd of IYC members who gathered to express their discontent with the current situation.

The recent allegations of paper leaks and malpractices in the NEET-UG exam have caused widespread anxiety and frustration among students and their families. The IYC's protest aimed to highlight these issues and demand action from the authorities.

BV Srinivas, the Youth Congress Chief, addressed the gathering, stating, "Thousands of IYC workers have come out on the streets of Delhi today, becoming the voice of students suffering from the atrocities of paper leak." The IYC's demonstration sought to amplify the concerns of the affected students and urge the government to take necessary measures to ensure the integrity of the examination process.

Intensifying its probe into alleged irregularities in this year's National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate or NEET-UG, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team on Wednesday visited a school in Hazaribagh in Jharkhand and interrogated the Oasis school staff including the principal.

Two persons were released by CBI after questioning in the NEET paper leak case.

These individuals are identified as the principal and staff of the Hazaribagh-based Oasis school who were interrogated at the CCL guest house at Charhi, a town in the Hazaribagh district.

The Special CBI Court in Patna has sent two accused in the NEET question paper leak case to be placed on CBI remand following a request from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Sanjiv Mukhiya, a technical assistant at the state-run Noorsarai Horticulture College in Nalanda, has been identified as one of the absconding perpetrators of the NEET-UG paper leak in Bihar. Investigators have revealed that Mukhiya is a repeat offender with a network of collaborators, including the arrested kingpin of a UP "solver gang".

According to sources in the Economic Offences Unit, Mukhiya took unofficial leave from his job at the horticulture college from May 6 to 14 and got himself admitted to a hospital. He disappeared after his alleged involvement in the paper leak prior to the May 5 test became known. It has also come to light that Mukhiya had connections with Ravi Atri, who was arrested in April for the police constable recruitment exam paper leak and is currently imprisoned in Meerut.

Ehshanul Hasan, the Hazaribag coordinator for the five NEET-UG examination centers, refuted allegations of question paper tampering or leakage from the centers on Tuesday. Hasan, who also serves as the principal of Oasis School, one of the five examination centers implicated in media reports of paper leakage, suggested that a gang and the courier company responsible for transporting the papers might be involved in the leak.

The coordinator's statement comes in response to media reports that pointed fingers at the five centers, including Oasis School, for allegedly leaking the NEET-UG question papers. Hasan firmly denied any wrongdoing on the part of the examination centers and instead shifted the focus to a potential gang and the courier company tasked with delivering the papers to the centers.

The situation surrounding the NEET-UG exam has left many students grappling with uncertainty and anxiety. The paper leak scandal has sparked calls for a retest, leaving those who have already cleared the exam in a state of limbo. In an effort to cope with the stress and uncertainty, a growing number of students are seeking the help of psychologists for professional counselling.

Vidisha Kumari, a student who spent five years in Kota preparing for the exam, expressed her concerns, saying, "NEET-UG does not follow a pattern and is known for its ever-changing nature and unpredictability. Amid this, if re-examination is ordered, I might not qualify again." Kumari, who scored 667 in the exam, has returned home from Kota, but the possibility of a retest has left her feeling uncertain about her future prospects.

Pappu Yadav, an independent MP from Purnea, Bihar, made a bold statement during his oath-taking ceremony for the 18th Lok Sabha. He wore a t-shirt with the words 'Re-NEET' printed on it, advocating for the medical entrance exam to be conducted again. Additionally, Yadav called for special status to be granted to the state of Bihar.

As he concluded his oath, Yadav proclaimed, "Re-NEET, special status for Bihar, Seemanchal Zindabad, Manavtavaad Zindabad, Bhim Zindabad, Samvidhan Zindabad."
On his official X handle, Yadav expressed his gratitude to Purnea and emphasized that his parliamentary journey begins with the swearing-in ceremony. He stated, "The objective is Purnea model, service and justice in the whole of Bihar. And become the ideal of development politics!"

Yadav reiterated his demands during the oath-taking ceremony, calling for a re-examination of NEET and the granting of special state status to Bihar.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting the NEET-UG exams, has faced significant criticism due to alleged irregularities in the examination process. This has led to widespread protests across the country, with demonstrators and political parties demanding the disbandment of the NTA. The concerns were further heightened when an unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 out of 720.

Both the teachers were arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in connection with the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam.

On NEET issue, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) President Abhijat Sheth said, "The integrity of this examination was never in doubt as far as NEET PG is concerned. For the last seven years, we have conducted so far successfully... Because of the recent events, what has happened that there were lots of concerns about all these sorts of examinations from the student communities and in response to that, the government has decided to ensure once more to make sure that the sanctity of the examination the safety and security must be maintained. So they have decided to review the SOPs and protocols as soon as possible. We will declare the next due date in one next week..."

On advisory issued against social media messages, and fraudsters, warnings he said, "This was for the protection that's why we published the SOPs before the examination, this is all perception, social media is so vast these days that sometimes it gives the wrong message to the students and we wanted students should remain on the right path."

The first meeting of the high-level panel formed to suggest reforms in National Testing Agency (NTA) took place yesterday, June 24.

Congress workers on Monday held a protest here over alleged malpractices in the conduct of medical entrance exam NEET-UG. Led by Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Tika Ram Jully, the workers also protested against the BJP-led state government over the power crisis and the law and order situation in the state.

Addressing party workers at the Circuit House near the Collectorate Circle here, Dotasra demanded cancellation of the NEET-UG exam and inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.

"When exams like UGC-NET, NEET-PG and CSIR UGC-NET, all conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), can be cancelled, why the government is not cancelling NEET-UG, which is also conducted by NTA," Dotasra questioned, adding that the NEET exam is a "big scam".

He also lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre for the law and order situation in Rajasthan.

Dotasra claimed that 2,875 girls and women were raped in the state in the last five months of the BJP rule, with 19-20 women subjected to the same physical atrocity every day.

Top officials from the Union health ministry and the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences on Monday reviewed the process of the NEET-PG exam, two days after the entrance examination to postgraduate medical courses was postponed. The National Eligibility Entrance Test (Postgraduate) entrance examination is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), along with its technical partner Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), for medical students.

According to sources, senior officers from the TCS were present in the meeting.

The government on Saturday postponed the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.

The Monday meeting was held to check the "robustness" of the system for the conduct of the exam in the coming days, sources said.

It was learnt that the TCS top brass briefed about the various aspects of the exam procedure that is followed in the meeting.

The CBI on Monday collected all material evidence related to the alleged NEET-UG paper leak case from the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar police, which had been handling the probe until the federal agency took over. According to sources, a two-member CBI team, comprising a DIG and deputy SP rank officer, reached the state capital from Delhi and went straight to the EOU office. They are likely to stay here for a couple of days.

The CBI sleuths, who discussed the case with EOU officials after formally taking over the probe, also met officials of Shastri Nagar Police station here, where the first case had been lodged on May 5 after the arrest of a number of persons in connection with the paper leak case, sources said.

The EOU arrested a total of 18 people in connection with the case, including prime suspect Sikandar Yadavendu, his associates, a few aspirants and their parents.

"The CBI collected all material evidence related to the case from the EOU. The pieces of evidence included a partially burnt question paper recovered from a house in Patna, mobile phones of those arrested, laptops, post-dated cheques and reference question papers provided by the National Testing Agency (NTA)," a source said.

In the midst of the controversy surrounding the NEET and UGC NET examinations, a delegation led by Rohit Pawar, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Chandra Pawar faction), met with Governor Ramesh Bais on Monday. The delegation urged the Maharashtra government to pass legislation similar to the one adopted by the central government to address paper leaks and irregularities. The MLA described the meeting as a "positive discussion" and stated that the Governor has promised to take action on these matters.

Rohit Pawar, while speaking to the media, said, "We met the Governor, and several issues were discussed. We have tried many times to bring the law passed by the central government regarding paper leaks into the state. We have also raised the issue of the drug racket at Pune University."

Regarding the issue of paper leaks, Rohit Pawar mentioned, "We have talked to governor about the issue of paper leaks. Earlier, Uttarakhand governor had taken measures concerning the paper-leaks and brought anti-paper leak laws. Similarly, we have pledged to the governor to take measures and bring anti-paper leak law to address this issue."

Rohit Pawar also addressed the irregularities observed at Savitribai Phule University, stating, "The state government is ignoring the issues of frequent paper leakages in the state and malpractices in the recruitment of vacancies in Savitribai Phule Pune University. If the government is neglecting, then one can go to the governor and ask for complaint. Accordingly, we met Ramesh Ji Bais Saheb and gave him a letter in this regard. The Governor also gave a positive response in this regard."

Additionally, Rohit Pawar requested the governor to focus on the MIDC issue in his constituency, saying, "The issue of MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) was also mentioned and the governor was requested to handle the matter."

Lastly, he emphasized the problem of the drug racket at Pune University, stating, "We have requested the governor to pay attention to the issues of Savitribai Phule University. The consumption of drugs and alcohol among students have significantly increased in the university. Upon investigation, drugs worth thousands of crores can be found in Maharashtra."

Ashalata, (name changed) experienced a remarkable improvement in her NEET performance between her first and second attempts. In 2022, when she initially took the exam, her rank was in the six-digit range. However, when she retook the test the following year, her rank skyrocketed from over 2 lakh to an impressive 8,000. Currently, at the age of 20, Ashalata is pursuing her studies at LTMG Sion Hospital in Mumbai.

Similarly, another NEET aspirant from 2022 who had initially obtained a rank surpassing 10 lakh witnessed a significant enhancement in her performance during her second attempt in 2023. This time, she secured a rank of approximately 13,000, which enabled her to secure a position at a government hospital in Mumbai, where she is currently studying.

The Bihar government issued a notification on Monday regarding the transfer of the NEET-UG paper leak case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The notification stated, "In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 6 of the Delhi Police Establishment Act, 1946 (Act 25 of 1946), the Governor of Bihar is pleased to give his assent to the Delhi Special Police Establishment, who have been entrusted with the exercise of powers and jurisdiction in the state and other places related to the case to investigate/supervise and investigate the FIR No. 5117081240358, dated 05.05.2024, registered at the Shashtri Nagar Police Station in Patna under sections 407, 408, 409, 120 of the IPC, which relate to irregularities in the NEET (UG) 2024 examination held on May 5, 2024."

It is worth noting that the Bihar government had decided to entrust the investigation of the alleged irregularities in the 2024 NEET-UG exam to the CBI for a comprehensive inquiry. Economic Offences Unit (EOU) DIG, Nayyar Hasnain Khan, had stated on Sunday that the CBI team was expected to arrive in Patna soon to take over the investigation and that the EOU would provide all the updated case records to the CBI.

Following the takeover of the probe into the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG exams in 2024, the CBI announced in a statement on Sunday that it had formed special teams to investigate the case.

In response to the recent paper leak scandal surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical undergraduates and the cancellation of UGC-NET due to "lack of integrity", several student and youth organizations, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), Tribal Students Union (TSU), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and Tribal Youth Federation (TYF), united to stage a massive protest against the pervasive corruption in nationwide examinations. The protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him accountable for the ongoing issues.

Thousands of students and young people participated in the demonstrations, taking to the streets in major cities across the country. They carried placards and raised their voices, expressing their anger and frustration over the repeated instances of corruption that have put the futures of millions of students at risk.

The protesters firmly believe that the "minister's failure to address the issues within the examination system has led to widespread disillusionment and frustration among students, whose dreams and futures are being unfairly compromised". They insist that the Union Education Minister must step down from his position, taking responsibility for the current state of affairs.

Representatives from the DYFI, TSU, and TYF also joined the chorus of dissent, urging the authorities to take swift and effective measures to restore the integrity of the examination process. They emphasized the need for concrete actions to be implemented, ensuring that students can once again have faith in the fairness and transparency of these crucial assessments.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) acquired all relevant evidence pertaining to the alleged NEET-UG paper leak case from the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar police on Monday. The EOU had been in charge of the investigation until the CBI took over. Sources reported that a two-member CBI team, consisting of a DIG and a deputy SP rank officer, arrived in the state capital from Delhi and proceeded directly to the EOU office. They are expected to remain in the city for a few days.


After formally taking over the investigation, the CBI officials discussed the case with EOU personnel and also met with officials from the Shastri Nagar Police station in Patna. The first case related to the paper leak had been registered at this police station on May 5, following the arrest of several individuals in connection with the case, according to sources.

A protest was organized by Congress workers in Rajasthan on Monday, expressing their concerns about alleged irregularities in the administration of the NEET-UG medical entrance exam. The protest was spearheaded by Govind Singh Dotasra, the Rajasthan Congress president, and Tika Ram Jully, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly. In addition to the NEET-UG issue, the protesters also voiced their dissatisfaction with the BJP-led state government's handling of the power crisis and the overall law and order situation in Rajasthan.