NEET Mess: How Godhra Became the Epicenter of a Massive Controversy

The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) 2024, India's most crucial medical entrance exam, has been marred by a scandal of unprecedented proportions. At the center of this controversy are the states of Gujarat and Bihar, where significant cheating operations have been uncovered, shaking the very foundation of the exam’s integrity.

Also Read: How Patna Became The Epicenter Of NEET Scam

The Godhra Incident

The scandal came to light on May 5th when authorities raided an exam center in Godhra during the NEET exam. This raid uncovered a widespread cheating operation involving a coaching institute, school staff, and several students. According to police investigations, a nexus between the Roy Overseas Coaching Institute in Vadodara and the staff at the Jay Jalaram School exam center orchestrated this scam.

How the Scam Worked

Students in Gujarat were instructed to leave blank any questions they could not answer during the NEET exam. In exchange for hefty bribes, these answers were later filled in by teachers involved in the scam. The scam exploited the time gap between the end of the exam and the collection of answer sheets, allowing the coaching institute to provide answer keys to the teachers within 30 minutes after the exam concluded.

Arrests and Key Figures

The investigation has led to the arrest of several key individuals:

1. Parshuram Roy - Owner of the Roy Overseas Coaching Institute in Vadodara.
2. Vibhor Anand - Education consultant who facilitated student admissions to Roy's Institute.
3. Purshottam Sharma - Principal of Jay Jalaram School, a NEET exam center.
4. Tushar Bhatt - Deputy Superintendent at the NEET center and a physics teacher at the school.
5. Arif Vora - An associate of Bhatt.

Financial Aspects

The financial scale of the scam is staggering. Parents paid an average of Rs 10 lakh each, with some paying over Rs 2 crore, to ensure their children’s success through fraudulent means. The police complaint filed on June 13th indicates that around a dozen students and their parents were involved, all linked to the coaching center run by a group of teachers.

The Fallout

The list of students involved spans across states, with 16 students from Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Karnataka opting to take their exam at the Godhra center. The police, with assistance from the National Testing Agency (NTA), are now working to identify all the students who benefited from this organized cheating racket.

The NEET 2024 controversy has sparked a national outcry, with demands for justice from students and parents alike. The ramifications of this scandal are profound, highlighting the need for stringent measures to safeguard the integrity of such critical exams. As the investigation unfolds, the focus remains on ensuring that those responsible are held accountable and that future exams are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.