New Delhi:

The question paper for the UGC-NET exam that was held Tuesday was leaked 48 hours earlier and sold on the dark web and encrypted social media platforms for Rs 6 lakh, sources in the Central Bureau of Investigation told NDTV. The NET exam had been voided by the Education Ministry – already taking flak over the NEET-UG test – that cited input from a federal anti-cybercrime unit.

Sources said the source of the leak, however, is unclear at this time. The agency will work with the NTA or the National Testing Agency, which is the central body that conducts competitive exams.

The role of coaching centres – in which thousands of aspirants enroll, at great cost, in hope of cracking exams like NET, NEET (for medical courses), and IAS (for civil service) tests – in several states is also being investigated, sources said, explaining CBI officers could visit a few in person.

The CBI filed its first FIR, or first information report, in this case on Thursday, in which it accused as yet unidentified persons based on the ministry’s complaint. The ministry had said information indicates “prima facie that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised”.

READ | NET Cancelled Day After Exam. “Integrity Compromised”: Centre

“Corruption Likely…”: CBI Sources On NET Row

Also on Thursday, hours after the UGC-NET was voided – sources said the authorities believed a large-scale corruption racket is behind the leaked papers. Given this concerns, sources said officials charged with the exam’s conduct, including those who set question papers, would be probed.

READ | On NET Row, Corruption Case Likely, Officials To Be Probed

Earlier the ministry – fending off opposition attacks over the NEET row – said it had been forced to void the NET “to ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process”.

After the exam was scrapped, students protested on university campuses across the country, claiming they had flagged paper leaks last week, days before the exam, but no action was taken.

READ | NET Aspirants Allege Paper Leak, Day After Exam Got Scrapped

Students at Lucknow University said at least one paper had been leaked and was available for just Rs 5,000. This, they said, had been circulated via WhatsApp and Telegram groups from June 16.

UGC-NET refers to the University Grants Commission’ National Eligibility Test – a qualifying exam for appointments to professorial posts in colleges and universities, as well as fellowships.

Over 11 lakh students had registered for the exam.

There have been furious protests by students and the opposition over the NET and NEET controversies; petitions over the latter are being heard by the Supreme Court.

NEET-UG Row

In the NEET row, apart from allegations of leaked question papers, grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates and the unusually high number of students scoring a perfect 720 have been red-flagged.

Petitioners demanded a re-test but, for now, the NTA has only agreed to roll-back marks of the 1,563 who got extra marks and has offered them a second chance.

Four men, including Anurag Yadav, a candidate, have been arrested in Bihar in the NEET row.

Mr Yadav, 22, told police he had been prepping at a coaching centre in Rajasthan’s Kota.

READ | Bihar Student Arrested In NEET Case Was Told “It’s Sorted”

“My uncle, Sikandar Yadavendu (also arrested) works as a junior municipal engineer. He told me to come back… said my result had been ‘sorted’…” he said after his arrest.

Government Reacts

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has declared that a high-level committee will be formed and that the interests of the students is the first priority of the government. 

READ | “Forming High-Level Committee…”: Minister On Exams Row

 “I want to assure everyone that the government is committed to ensuring the interests of students. We will not compromise with that or with transparency…” he told reporters Thursday night.

Political Clash

This has also triggered a political blame game between the ruling BJP and the Congress-led opposition bloc, particularly in Bihar, where Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha of the former party has accused his predecessor and RJD and opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav of links to the accused.

The RJD has rubbished the charge and said the BJP is trying to divert attention from its failure.

READ | In NEET Row In Bihar, BJP Accuses RJD, Opposition Hits Back

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge, and Samajwadi Party boss Akhilesh Yadav, the Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, and the Trinamool’s Saket Gokhale have also all hit out at the BJP on this topic.

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New Delhi:

Hours after the Education Ministry scrapped the 2024 UGC-NET examination – based on input from a federal cybercrime unit run by the Home Ministry that said it may have been compromised – sources told NDTV early inquiries suggest a large corruption racket. Given such concerns, sources said officials charged with the exam’s conduct, including those who set question papers, will be probed.

The officials likely to be investigated range from academics who create the question papers and those who evaluate answers to officials responsible for editing, or checking, prepared question papers. Sources said two to three sets of each question paper are prepared.

The role of officials who print each question paper will be examined, as will that of those who take the printed documents to examination centres across the country. The role of the latter will be scrutinised, as this person has complete access to all question papers.

Meanwhile, after the NET was cancelled, student protests on university campuses across the country, claiming they had flagged paper leaks last week, days before the exam, but no action was taken.

Students at Lucknow University said at least one paper had been leaked and was available for as little as Rs 5,000. This, they said, had been circulated via WhatsApp and Telegram groups from June 16.

READ | NET Aspirants Allege Paper Leak, Day After Exam Got Scrapped

UGC-NET refers to the National Eligibility Test – a qualifying exam for appointments to professorial posts in colleges and universities, as well as for research posts and fellowships.

It is conducted by the NTA, or National Testing Agency, a federal agency that organises competitive exams for various courses, including the NEET, or National Eligibility and Entrance Test, which sorts students to colleges offering undergraduate medical degrees.

The 2024 UGC-NET was conducted on Tuesday but the Education Ministry this afternoon said the exam had been scrapped and results voided.

READ | “Took Proactive Action”: Education Ministry, Under Fire For Scrapping NET

Over 11 lakh students had registered for the exam.

“The matter has been given to the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)… a fresh exam will be conducted soon,” Govind Jaiswal, the Joint Secretary, said.

This comes as the NTA, and the government, take flak over allegations of leaked question papers and preferential marking for the NEET exams. Nearly 24 lakh students took that exam – on May 5 – and there have been widespread complaints by candidates across India.

READ | “Got NEET Paper Day Before Exam”: Arrested Student Tells Bihar Cops

The NEET row also reached the Supreme Court; on Tuesday the court came down heavily on the NTA and demanded accountability in case of even “0.001 per cent negligence”. 

Concern over the NEET exam was triggered after rumours of leaked question papers and the fact that 1,563 students received grace marks allowing them to score a perfect 720.

The court was told the grace marks were due to loss of time for some students.

Students and petitioners have demanded a re-test but, for now, the NTA has only agreed to roll-back marks of the 1,563 who got extra marks and has offered them a second chance.

Four men arrested in Bihar confessed to question papers being leaked.

The UGC-NET and NEET rows have also spawned entirely predictable political spats, with the Congress-led INDIA bloc set to attack the ruling BJP ahead of the first Parliament session.

READ | In NEET Row In Bihar, BJP, RJD Trade Claims Of ‘Link’ To Key Accused

In Bihar, for example, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha has accused opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, whose Rashtriya Janata Dal is part of the INDIA bloc, of links between his aide and one of the key accused in this case.

READ | “Emergency”: NET Scrapped Amid NEET Row, Opposition Gets Ammo

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge, and Samajwadi Party boss Akhilesh Yadav, the Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, and the Trinamool’s Saket Gokhale have all hit out at the BJP on this topic.

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