NEET Cancellation: Shiv Sena UBT Exposes Govt's Exam Leak Epidemic

In a blistering editorial, Shiv Sena (UBT) has held the BJP-led central government responsible for the NEET paper leak debacle that forced the exam's cancellation, affecting millions of aspiring doctors. Published in 'Saamana' on Thursday, the piece portrays 'leaks and breaks' as the hallmark of this regime's governance, especially in high-stakes national tests. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), meant to select future medicos fairly, descended into chaos with confirmed paper leaks prompting its annulment. More than 22 lakh candidates are left reeling, compelled to endure fresh preparation cycles fraught with emotional and monetary hardships. The party lambasts the NTA for imposing draconian measures on examinees—banning accessories for transparency—while failing to protect the exam paper from falling into wrong hands. Days before the exam, question papers flooded underground markets at exorbitant prices. Brokers preyed on rich families, offering leaks as an alternative to multimillion-rupee donations for college seats. A deep-rooted conspiracy links NTA insiders, printers, and coaching mafias, with leaks sold for 25-30 lakhs to secure perfect scores. Coaching centers weaponize these incidents, boasting 100% success rates in promotions to attract hordes of students. Leaked materials proliferated on Telegram, Instagram, and WhatsApp, masquerading as mock tests. The probe implicates multiple states: Maharashtra hubs like Nashik, Pune, Latur; plus Kerala, Haryana, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and J&K. CBI has nabbed suspects, yet history repeats—leaks from 2017 and 2021 ended with bailouts for the guilty. The Education Ministry faces demands for clarity on ignoring pre-exam leak alerts. Fee waivers for retests offer scant comfort to underprivileged students grappling with logistics and mental health crises. Shiv Sena (UBT) warns that without systemic overhaul, India's merit-based selection process remains vulnerable, eroding public trust in institutions meant to uphold fairness.