CM Mamata Banerjee asks PM Modi to scrap NEET exam

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee waded into the NEET paper leak row on the 24th of June, asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap the all India entrance examination for medical courses. In a letter to Modi, Banerjee asked the prime minister to consider reverting to the previous system where states had the freedom to conduct their own entrance exams for medical students.

She said that before the NEET came into the picture in 2017, the states were allowed to conduct their own entrance examinations for medical courses and this system functioned smoothly.

She further said that the incidents of paper leak "not only compromise the quality of medical education in the country but adversely affect the quality of medical facilities/treatment in the country".

"This system was functioning smoothly and without much problems. This was better attuned to the regional curricula and educational standards. The state government usually spends more than Rs 50 lakh per doctor on education and internship. Therefore, the state should be given freedom to select medical students through Joint Entrance Examination," she said.

"The present system has led to massive corruption which benefits only the rich who can afford to pay, while the meritorious students belonging to the poor and middle class suffer and are the biggest victims," she added.