Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan On Thursday, he chaired a high-level meeting to review preparations for the conference workers and The retest is scheduled to be held on June 21, stressing the need to adhere to the highest standards of integrity, transparency and efficiency in conducting the test.
The meeting brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Education, State Governments, National Testing Agency (NTA) and tertiary institutions to assess examination preparation and coordination measures ahead of the re-test.
Alertness and coordination
In his address to the meeting, Pradhan stressed the importance of maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency and efficiency in the examination process, and directed all concerned parties to be vigilant and fully prepared.
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He urged officials to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to conduct the re-examination freely and fairly. The Minister stressed the need for coordination at all levels and said that officers appointed by the Ministry will travel to all states to coordinate activities related to the re-examination process and submit reports to the command center headed by the Director General of the National Training Agency.
Pradhan also asked the appointed officials of the state governments to ensure that the students get all the necessary facilities so that they can appear for the re-examination in a stress-free environment.
Focus on student well-being
According to the Education Ministry, School Education and Literacy Department Secretary Sanjay Kumar, Higher Education Department Secretary Vineet Joshi and National Tourism Agency Director General Abhishek Singh attended the meeting.
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, said that students must be provided with complete comfort to appear for the examination, by giving them all necessary facilities, including providing seating arrangements before the examination and drinking water. He asked the nodal officials of the state governments to ensure that appropriate steps are taken in this regard.
Strict adherence to protocols
Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Higher Education Department, pointed out that the time between now and the re-examination date was crucial and stressed the need for proactive coordination, timely dissemination of instructions and strict compliance of all prescribed protocols.
NTA is working with all relevant stakeholders, including district level coordination committees headed by managing directors, state police departments and intelligence agencies, to ensure that the re-examination is conducted smoothly, said Abhishek Singh, Director General of NTA.
Detailed deliberations were held on examination preparedness, coordination mechanisms, security protocols, logistical arrangements, grievance redressal mechanisms and adherence to examination guidelines. The states and union territories have been advised to maintain close coordination with all stakeholders to ensure that the re-examination process is conducted smoothly and transparently.
Participation at the national level
The meeting, which was held in a mixed format, was attended by 222 participants. Senior officials from states and union territories, principal officials of centrally funded institutes, vice-chancellors of universities, and directors of higher education institutions from across the country participated in the discussions.
The participants assured their full cooperation and said that they are committed to taking all necessary measures for the smooth conduct of the examination and ensuring a hassle-free experience for the candidates.
Why is a re-exam held?
The NEET exam conducted last month was canceled following allegations of question paper leakage. The authorities then announced that the re-examination would take place on June 21.
(With inputs from Annie)
