Most Shameful Conduct in NEET Exam!

The betrayal of students’ trust is a very serious matter. What about the hard work they put in throughout the year, sacrificing everything in pursuit of success? Who will compensate for the mental trauma they have suffered?

The leakage of the NEET examination papers is not merely a shameful incident, it is in effect a psychological violation of millions of students. The shockwaves of this scandal have not only shaken the students themselves, but also deeply disturbed their parents and families. I am compelled to write this article in severe and uncompromising language because I myself am profoundly shaken. A troubling question continues to haunt me: If we are technologically capable of conducting free, fair and transparent elections across the length and breadth of this vast nation without interference, why are we incapable of conducting examinations with honesty and integrity? How can we permit such a vile, humiliating and insensitive betrayal of the very students who are our future? How can a society move forward while trampling upon the dreams and aspirations of its youths?

The incident of the question paper leak has inflicted severe mental anguish not only upon the more than 22.05 lakh students who appeared for the examination but also upon countless others preparing for future competitive examinations. Their faith has been deeply shaken. A disturbing fear has now taken root in their minds: That while they toil with sincerity and discipline, success may ultimately belong to those who gain access to the question papers beforehand. Students devote themselves wholeheartedly to their studies. They sacrifice comfort, peace and personal joys while nurturing the dream that clearing NEET will secure them admission into medical colleges, enabling them to become competent doctors and serve the nation. Yet, the criminals within the system have shattered those dreams. True, the examination may be conducted again, but the enthusiasm, determination and emotional investment associated with one’s first attempt are irreplaceable. Once that momentum is broken, how can it truly be restored? And what of the emotional devastation suffered by their parents, siblings and families, who invested their hopes and aspirations alongside them?

Since this latest incident of question paper leak sparked nationwide outrage and intense public debate, the examination was cancelled. But is malpractice in competitive examinations a new phenomenon? Certainly not. A glance through history reveals dozens of such cases. Yet, if one attempts to discover how many of the real masterminds behind these scandals were ever punished, one may scarcely find even a single convincing example. You surely remember the infamous Vyapam scam of Madhya Pradesh. Hundreds of arrests were made and a few persons were indeed convicted. However, during the investigation, at least 48 people connected to the case one way or another died under mysterious circumstances. The names of several influential individuals also surfaced, yet the identity of the true architect of the conspiracy was never conclusively established. Can it really be believed that if a government genuinely wished to uncover the entire truth, the facts could remain hidden? That seems highly improbable. Inevitably, one is left with the suspicion that certain aspects were deliberately overlooked so that the real ‘crocodiles’ of the system would never be trapped.

In truth, the crocodiles are almost never caught. Investigating agencies manage to net only a few small fish. The larger fish continue to swim freely, while the crocodiles remain entirely untouched and secure. This is hardly a new revelation. Stories of the firm grip of such powerful vested interests over the education system are so widespread that wherever one looks, another example readily emerges.

The task of conducting a thorough investigation into the latest NEET question paper leak has now been entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Yet, even from a commonsense perspective, certain aspects of the case appear strikingly evident. In connection with the leak, the name of one Rakesh Kumar Mandawariya from Samarthpura village in Khandela tehsil of Rajasthan’s Sikar district has surfaced prominently. After completing his education up to standard X, he reportedly left his village and moved to Sikar, where he has been residing for the past 15 years. What exactly does he do? The answer to this question introduces a curious twist to the story. For the past several years, he has allegedly been operating a ‘consultancy office’ directly opposite a coaching institute on Piprali road in Sikar. One must pay close attention to this detail: He is not employed by the coaching institute. Rather, he runs an independent consultancy office, situated in front of the institute. Consultancy for what purpose? No clear answer has emerged. Although the allegations against him have not yet been proven, any reasonable observer can infer the nature of the role he may have played. Equally evident is the fact that if Rakesh Mandawariya is indeed culpable, he cannot possibly be acting alone. He is merely the visible face of a much larger operation. Behind him, there must exist an extensive syndicate. Otherwise, how could question papers have travelled across such a vast geographical span from Rajasthan to Haryana, Bihar, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana? Educationist Khan Sir’s observation appears entirely justified: When we purchase something as ordinary as a diaper, it does not leak, yet here, an entire national examination system has collapsed through leakage. The National Testing Agency (NTA) was established nine years back precisely to preserve the sanctity and integrity of examinations. But did the situation improve after the agency was established? Apparently not!

It is my unambiguous view that the question paper leak is not an ordinary crime. The cartel of the education mafia responsible for such acts is, in many ways, more dangerous to society than even the drug mafia. If an unqualified person succeeds in clearing a competitive examination through such corruption and eventually becomes a doctor, one can only imagine the extent to which human lives may be endangered in the future. Crimes such as examination paper leaks should be treated as acts bordering on treason against the nation. The punishment must be so severe that the very thought of becoming part of such a syndicate instills fear among the perpetrators. After all, leaking question paper is also a form of terrorism!

The author is the chairman, Editorial Board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha.