NEET-PG exam postponement a 'failure' of Union govt: NCP (SP)

Clyde Crasto. Pic/X

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) has slammed the Centre for postponing the NEET-PG entrance exam, calling it a "failure" and accusing the government of endangering candidates' prospects. The party has requested that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign over alleged exam mismanagement and irregularities, reported PTI.

According to the report, Clyde Crasto, the national spokesperson for the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), remarked on Saturday, "Due to the inability to do their job, the government is playing with the lives and future of children."

The Union Health Ministry has postponed the NEET-PG entrance exam, which was planned for Sunday, as a precautionary measure in the wake of recent concerns against the integrity of various competitive exams. This is the fourth entrance exam that has been disrupted in recent days.

In response to the relocation of National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Singh amid the scandal, Crasto stated that Minister Pradhan cannot avoid accountability for these failings. "He should also step down as minister and accept accountability for all the mess and malpractices in the examination process in our country," Crasto advised, per the PTI report.

NCP (SP)'s partner in Maha Vikas Aghadi and INDIA bloc--Shiv Sena (UBT) also demanded Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Party spokesperson Anand Dubey sought Dharmendra Pradhan's immediate resignation following the postponement of the NEET-PG exam. Dubey argued that the government should revamp the entire system and remove incompetent personnel.

"The NEET-PG exam, scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed. Changing only the officers at NTA is insufficient. The government must revamp the entire system. Dharmendra Pradhan should resign immediately and a new minister should take over. Otherwise, millions of students will continue to suffer, and public anger will escalate," Dubey said per the ANI report.

With ANI inputs