Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi said it’s obvious to the whole country that there is a very serious problem with our examination system, while adding that this is not just the question of the NEET but major examinations.

He accused Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of not understanding the fundamentals of what’s going on in the country in regard to the paper leaks and other issues related to education.

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“The issue is that there are millions of students in this country who are extremely concerned about what is going on and who are convinced that the Indian examination system is a fraud.  Millions of people believe that if you’re rich, if you have money, you can buy the Indian examination system, and this is the same feeling we as the Opposition have. This is why we are asking some very simple questions to the Minister,” Rahul Gandhi added.

He also asked the minister what exactly he is doing to fix the issue at a systemic level, as this is a systemic issue.

Education minister Pradhan hit back at the comment by stating that he has the support of the people in his constituency and does not need a certification of intelligence from anyone in Parliament. “Lies will not become truth if you shout. The country’s examination system has been called rubbish. There cannot be a more unfortunate statement by the Leader of the Opposition. I condemn this,” he said.

The minister further stated that the government has bought in new law aiming to tackle malpractices and irregularities in competitive exams. And he took a counter jab at opposition by reminding the three educational bill introduced during the UPA regime which was withdrawn due to pressure.

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The NEET exam has triggered nationwide protests, with students saying it has jeopardised their future. The outcry was against alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam led to protest. The protestors has demanded a retest and two states- Tamil Nadu and West Bengal- have asked that the exam to be scrapped.