New Delhi: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday deplored the “betrayal by teachers entrusted with safeguarding NEET-UG”, saying individuals responsible for protecting the examination had “instead compromised its integrity.” He also accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of scaring aspirants and seeking to “create anarchy”, while terming the CJP a “proxy” of disruptive forces.In his first detailed remarks since Sunday’s re-examination was conducted without any reported leak, Pradhan told TOI that NTA had assigned teachers sensitive responsibilities, “but some failed to honour the trust placed in them.” He described their alleged involvement in the breach of trust that undermined the May 3 examination and ultimately forced its cancellation.Mounting a political counterattack, Pradhan accused Rahul of indulging in “low-level politics” at a time when more than 22 lakh medical aspirants were preparing for the retest. He alleged that the Congress MP had attempted to unsettle students and derail their preparations instead of offering constructive suggestions to improve the system.The comments assume significance amid demands for Pradhan’s resignation from opposition parties and sections of youth following the paper leak and wider concerns over the examination system.He also targeted the Cockroach Janta Party, describing it as “a proxy for forces seeking to disrupt the system”. He alleged that people rejected through democratic process had returned under a different banner to target institutions. He further accused the group of raising slogans favouring forces seeking to divide the country.The remarks constitute Pradhan’s strongest response yet to the campaign seeking his removal. CJP protesters have continued their agitation at Jantar Mantar despite the successful conduct of the retest.
