In a shocking turn of events in Godhra, Gujarat, Dixit Patel, the chairman of Jay Jalaram Trust, was recently arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in irregularities relating to this year’s National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The case took a serious turn when CBI took over the investigation from the Gujarat police, who had previously arrested five individuals in connection with the scandal. The accused individuals included a physics teacher, the principal of Jay Jalaram School, and others associated with an education consultancy firm. The investigation revealed that the accused instructed students to leave certain questions blank during the exam, only to fill in the answers themselves later on for a hefty fee. It is suspected that 30 students at the Godhra center were part of this fraudulent activity.
The mastermind behind the cheating scandal, Dixit Patel, operates two schools in the region, including Jay Jalaram School in Godhra. His lawyer emphasized that Patel was not present on the school premises during the exam and denied any wrongdoing on his client’s part. The school’s selection as a NEET-UG center was attributed to its unique infrastructure, according to Patel’s advocate. While allegations of cheating were made, CBI reportedly found no concrete evidence during their searches at Patel’s properties.
Furthermore, a local Congress leader raised concerns about the school’s practices, accusing it of admitting significantly more students than permitted and charging excessive fees. This raised questions about why NTA chose such an institution for conducting NEET exams. Additionally, Dr. Sujaat Vali, a prominent figure in the local community, criticized Patel for allegedly attempting to attract students through unethical means.
The investigation also uncovered financial discrepancies, with checks worth crores of rupees found at the residence of another implicated individual. The checks were linked to parents whose children appeared for the NEET-UG exams at Jay Jalaram School, indicating a larger network of individuals involved in the scandal. The case has sent shockwaves through the educational sector in Godhra and raised serious questions about the integrity of the examination process.
The NEET-UG exam cheating scandal in Godhra has shed light on the vulnerabilities in the examination system and the lengths some individuals are willing to go to secure favorable outcomes. As the investigation unfolds, it will be crucial to hold all responsible parties accountable and restore faith in the academic assessment process.