Congress gears up to raise NEET issue in Parliament

Congress demands NEET 2024 cancellation, Supreme Court probe, and NTA overhaul amid nationwide protests against alleged irregularities.

The Congress is likely to demand the cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2024, a senior leader said on June 21 as the principal Opposition party is all set to raise the issue in the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha that begins on June 24.

As a separate discussion on the subject may not be possible in the short session of Parliament that will conclude on July 3, the party is likely to work out a joint strategy with INDIA partners to raise it during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address to a joint sitting of Parliament.

The party will also demand a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities, including question paper leak, as well as a complete overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA) that conducts exams such as NEET. Many of these points emerged during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with NEET aspirants on June 20.

The senior leader cited above said that while the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) wants NEET to be completely scrapped, several State governments such as Karnataka are opposed to NEET as the only gateway to join undergraduate medical courses.

“Thousands of students appearing for NEET are on the streets with their families in the scorching heat and [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi is silently watching the spectacle. I assure them that in this struggle, from the streets to the Parliament, India is with you,” Mr. Gandhi said in a post on X on June 21.

He also released a seven-minute video of his interaction with the NEET aspirants, in which many of them demanded a re-examination and a probe into the alleged irregularities. They also commented on the NTA’s “incompetence” to hold exams.

On June 21, the Congress organised countrywide protests against the NEET and demanded that the 24 lakh students, who took the test, be given justice.