📷 Image Credits: The New Indian Express
In view of the announcement of fresh dates for the postponed National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Post Graduate (NEET-PG) 2024 examination, which is likely to take place in August, a high-level meeting was held here to find ways to plug any possibility of a paper leak.
Senior officials of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) wing of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the ministries of Information Technology and Health took part in the meeting.
According to sources, the deliberations mostly revolved around finding ways to ensure a foolproof system in which there is a near impossible human interface and question papers are downloaded just two hours before the start of the examination.
The meeting was also attended by officials from the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), along with its technical partner Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Besides the NEET-PG, deliberations also took place to evaluate the robustness of the system for the conduct of the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination, which is scheduled for July 6, they added.
The meeting assumed significance as the NEET-PG exam for 2024 is likely to be held in mid-August, the sources said, adding that the revised schedule is expected to be announced this week.
They said that the MHA and the ministries of Information Technology and Health are keeping a close watch on the entire matter involving paper leaks on a larger scale, as the CBI investigations are progressing in the right direction.
The NEET-PG examination was postponed and a fresh date would be announced at the earliest, the Health Ministry had announced on June 22. The exam was scheduled to be held on June 23.
“Taking into consideration the recent incidents of allegations regarding the integrity of certain competitive examinations, the ministry of health has decided to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of processes of the NEET-PG Entrance Examination, conducted by the National Board of Examination (NTA) for medical students,” the Ministry had then said in a statement.
“Ministry of Health sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the students. This decision has been taken in the best interests of the students and to maintain the sanctity of the examination process,” it had said.