Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Calls for Major Overhaul of NTA’s Functioning After NEET Row

Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday assured stringent action against National Testing Agency (NTA) officials if found involved in NEET-UG 2024 irregularities.

During his visit to Sambalpur, Odisha, Pradhan highlighted two major issues in the NEET exam’s conduct.

Initial findings revealed that 1,563 students received grace marks due to an alleged time loss. However, the NTA on June 13 disapproved of these grace marks and mandated a re-examination for these students following a Supreme Court order.

Pradhan assured that any additional misconduct at two locations is under serious investigation. “The government is committed to addressing these issues rigorously. Any guilty NTA officials will face severe consequences,” he stated.

Stressing the need for reforms within the NTA, Pradhan noted that while the agency is autonomous, its operations require significant improvements to prevent future irregularities.

The NEET-UG exam, a crucial entry point for undergraduate medical courses in India, was held on May 5 across 4,750 centers in 571 cities.

The results, announced on June 4, have since sparked concerns among parents and teachers over the contested grace marks.