Karnataka School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa on Wednesday demanded that the National Testing Agency (NTA) be abolished following the controversy surrounding the NEET re-examination after an alleged question paper leak.
Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, Bangarappa accused the NTA of repeatedly failing to conduct examinations securely and responsibly.
‘Students are under immense stress’
“As Education Minister, whenever we conduct examinations, we prepare Plan A, Plan B and Plan C. What is the capability of the NTA?” he questioned.
He said students across the country were facing severe mental stress because of the agency’s alleged failures.
“Whatever decisions are made should be in the interest of children. There is a proper system for conducting examinations. The NTA should be abolished,” he stated.
Bangarappa also demanded that the Centre consult state governments before making decisions regarding NEET in the future.
Minister targets Centre over paper leak
The minister accused the BJP-led Central government of following a “bulldozing policy” and alleged that even BJP leaders had questioned the competence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
He claimed that the NTA had faced multiple question paper leak controversies since its formation and described the NEET leak as a “great tragedy” for students who had spent months preparing for the examination.
“The decision to conduct a re-examination is a bulldozing act,” he said.
Bangarappa further alleged that the Prime Minister should take responsibility for the crisis and criticised the Centre for failing to protect the integrity of national-level examinations.
‘Children are the future’
Highlighting the emotional impact on students, the minister said examinations should be conducted without leaving any scope for errors or malpractice.
“The children are the future of this country,” he said, stressing the need for a transparent and trustworthy examination system.