Lok Sabha Question No. 1276 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-25
Subject: NEET Examination
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1276 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.11.2019

## NEET Examination

†1276. SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH:

- Will  the  Minister  of  HUMAN  RESOURCE  DEVELOPMENT  be  pleased  to state: (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  decision  given  by  the  Madras High Court regarding NEET Examination; (b) if  so, the manner in which the Government is likely to verify the thumb impression  of  those  4250  students  who  have  got  admission  in  Tamil Nadu; (c) whether it has also been stated in the said order that this system should be adopted in other parts of the country as well, since reports of frauds in admission are being received from other parts also; (d) whether NEET is also not a foolproof system; (e) whether  NEET  is  encouraging  private  coaching  and  on  the  basis  of coaching, 72 percent students have cracked the examination in the very first attempt whereas their score in 12th class is low as compared to other talented students of the same class; (f) whether the Government is aware that coaching classes are attenuating the significance of 11th and 12th classes because most of the students go to coaching classes, instead of attending the school classes, and they also clear NEET examination; and whether NEET has blocked the path of  poor and talented students and their  dreams  to  become  doctors  are  getting  shattered  now,  if  so,  the
- (g) details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a) & (b) : The Hon'ble High Court of Madras vide its order dated 24.10.2019 in WA  No.  2931  of  2019  directed  CB  -  CID  and  the  Forensic  Department  of Government  of  Tamil  Nadu  to  verify  the  thumb  impressions  of  the  students admitted to various medical colleges in Tamil Nadu.

(c) :  Vide Order dated 04.11.2019 in the W.A. No. 2931 of 2019, the Hon'ble Madras  High  Court  has  directed  the  Central  Government  and  the  Medical Council of India 'to verify whether they have received any complaint or whether any  malpractice  has  been  done  for  getting  medical  seats  in  other  States'. Further, vide same order, the CBI has been directed by the Hon'ble Madras High Court  'to  verify  as  to  whether  CBI  has  got  any  complaint  with  regard  to impersonation or other malpractices in the NEET Examination to get admission in the Medical Colleges in other States'. (d) : National Testing Agency (NTA) is the designated authority for conducting NEET (UG).    NTA  informed  that  for  conducting  the  exam,  invigilators,  centre superintendent and the deputy superintendent, observer and NTA representatives  are  deployed  at each  centre.  For  monitoring  of  the exam,  city coordinators and State Coordinators are also deployed and detailed instructions are issued to these examination personnel for conducting NEET (UG) examination in foolproof manner. (e)  to  (g):  As  per  Graduate  Medical  Education  Regulations,  1999  of  Medical Council  of  India,  in  order  to  appear  in  the  NEET,  a  candidate  has  to  obtain minimum  50% of  marks  in  the  qualifying  examination  (40%  for  SC/ST/OBC candidates  45%  in  respect  of  candidates  with  benchmark  disabilities).  To  be eligible  for  admission  to  MBBS  course,  a  candidate  has  to  obtain  minimum marks  at  50 th   percentile  in  the  NEET.  However,  in  respect  of  candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC, the minimum qualifying marks are at 40 th  percentile and in respect of candidates with benchmark disabilities, the minimum marks are 45 th  percentile for General Category and 40 th  percentile for SC/ST/OBC. The syllabus of the NEET has been framed after reviewing of various State syllabi as well  as  those  prepared  by  CBSE,  NCERT  and  COBSE  to  establish  uniformity across the  country keeping  in view the relevance of different areas in  medical education.  The  NEET  evaluates  minimum  knowledge  of  a  candidate  in  the relevant subjects expected at higher secondary stage. In the interest of students, including the most disadvantaged, Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), which offers interactive course content such as video lectures, reading  material, self-assessment  through  tests and quizzes and online discussion forum for clearing  doubts for  students from Class  9  to post-graduation. The content can be accessed free of cost by anyone, anywhere at  any  time.  Another  initiative  of  the  Government  called  Indian  Institute  of Technology  -  Professor  Assisted  Learning  (IIT-PAL)  provides  video  content  in Biology,  Chemistry,  Mathematics  and  Physics  prepared  by  IIT  Professors  and Kendirya Vidyalaya (KV) teachers for Class XI and Class XII students aspiring to join  Higher  Educational  Institutions.    The  content  is  available  free  of  cost  on dedicated DTH channels of SWAYAM PRABHA.

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