Protests Erupt Over NEET-UG Admission Scandal in West Bengal

Protests have erupted in West Bengal over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam and delayed admissions in state-run colleges. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has called for a Supreme Court-monitored probe. Authorities detained several protesters near the Education Department's headquarters in Salt Lake.

Protests erupted near the West Bengal Education Department's headquarters in Salt Lake on Thursday, with demonstrators alleging irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam and a delay in state-run college admissions.

Solidarity with the students was expressed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation. Protestors, holding placards, were stopped by the police on their way to Bikash Bhavan in Salt Lake, near Kolkata. Despite police efforts to pacify and remove them, some protesters were detained and whisked away.

The protestors claimed that the future of many aspiring doctors was at risk due to the controversy surrounding NEET-UG. They also noted rising frustration among students, as state-run colleges had yet to commence admissions a month after higher secondary results were announced, while private colleges had already started the process. A TMC spokesperson accused the BJP-led central government of mishandling the situation, calling it one of the biggest scams affecting about 24 lakh students.

Prominent city-based doctors, including Kunal Sarkar and Dr. Arkadeep Biswas, highlighted the severity of the issue, claiming corruption and irregularities in the admission process. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan rejected allegations of a paper leak, stating there was no evidence. The Centre informed the Supreme Court that grace marks for some NEET-UG candidates were cancelled, with an option for a re-test on June 23.

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