‘NCERT no longer a professional institution’: Jairam Ramesh raises serious questions on integrity of NTA, NEET

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has criticized the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) over irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). He highlighted issues of fairness, transparency, and curriculum changes, calling for a comprehensive review of these institutions.

Concerns Over NEET Fairness and Administration
Ramesh took to social media platform X to voice his concerns, stating, "I was a member of Parliament's Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare between 2014 and 2019 and recall broad support for NEET. But there were MPs, especially from Tamil Nadu, who had raised concerns that NEET would privilege CBSE students and would disadvantage youth coming from non-CBSE schools."


He emphasized the need for proper analysis, saying, "Is NEET discriminatory? Are students from poorer backgrounds being denied opportunities? Other states, like Maharashtra, also expressed grave doubts about NEET. There are also serious questions about the integrity of the National Testing Agency itself and the manner in which NEET is designed and administered. NCERT itself has lost all professionalism in the last decade."


Continuing his critique, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh reiterated concerns about the fairness and transparency of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). He recalled his time on the Parliament's Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare from 2014 to 2019, noting broad support for NEET but also highlighting worries from MPs, particularly from Tamil Nadu, about potential disadvantages for non-CBSE students.

Call for Analysis and Review
Ramesh called for a thorough analysis of whether NEET is discriminatory and if students from economically weaker backgrounds are being deprived of opportunities. He also raised questions about the NTA's integrity and the administration of NEET. He expressed hope that the newly constituted Parliamentary Standing Committees would give priority to a comprehensive review of NEET, NTA, and NCERT.

Student Protests and Supreme Court Intervention
Following concerns over reported paper leaks and the allocation of grace marks during the May 5 NEET-UG exam, students held protests across the country. The NTA informed the Supreme Court that the scorecards of 1563 candidates who received grace marks would be cancelled. These candidates will have a chance to reappear for the exam on June 23, with results to be declared before June 30.

"The exam will be conducted on June 23 and the results will be declared before June 30," the NTA said. Several petitions were filed in the apex court seeking direction to recall NEET-UG 2024 results and to conduct the examination afresh, alleging paper leakage and malpractices in the test held on May 5.

NCERT Criticized for Textbook Revisions
Ramesh also directed criticism at NCERT, alleging it has functioned as an RSS affiliate since 2014. He noted that its revised Class XI political science textbook criticizes the idea of secularism and various political policies. "NCERT is mounting an assault on our country's Constitution in whose Preamble secularism features explicitly as a foundational pillar of the Indian republic. Various Supreme Court judgments have clearly held secularism to be an essential part of the basic structure of the Constitution," he said.

NCERT's Response to Saffronisation Allegations
Rejecting accusations of saffronisation, NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani clarified that references to the Gujarat riots and Babri Masjid demolition were modified in school textbooks to avoid creating "violent and depressed citizens." He stated, "Why should we teach about riots in school textbooks? We want to create positive citizens. Should we educate our students in a way that makes them offensive or creates societal hatred? Teaching about riots at a young age is unnecessary; they can learn about these events as they grow up."

Saklani emphasized that these changes were part of the annual revision process and not meant to create controversy. He argued that teaching history should be based on facts and not aimed at creating conflicts. "Talking about the Indian knowledge system or the metallurgical advancements demonstrated by the iron pillar in Mehrauli is not saffronisation. These are facts," he said.

Saklani, who was head of the ancient history department at HNB Garhwal University before becoming NCERT director in 2022, has faced criticism over these textbook changes, particularly concerning historical facts.

(With inputs from TOI)