Congress and the Politics of Education

 

The controversy had started with the NEET-UG 2024 examination that was mired in allegations of irregularities and cheating. Kharge mainly alleges that the Narendra Modi government has allowed corruption and malpractices to engulf the education sector. He claims that the devious interests of BJP are using NTA.

 

The central government, in turn, has acted decisively. The Ministry of Education has admitted that there were some cases in which irregularities occurred but said the scale was not sufficient to cancel an entire exam. It has also replaced NTA Director General Subodh Singh and asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the entire matter. Meanwhile, has set up a seven-member panel led by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan to look into the functioning of NTA and suggest reforms.

 

 

Kharge's demand for a retake of NEET-UG and his stubbornness to take the Modi government into account in connection with "education mafia" suggest an overarching strategy. Congress aims to create a narrative of incompetence and corruption against BJP by feeding the media with isolated incidents as if those are systemic failures. This seems like a political gesture to garner sympathy from students and also perceived as an attempt to malign the image of the Narendra Modi government during an election year.

 

Nevertheless, these allegations deserve proper examination. If the Kharge used a very catchy term "education mafia", this means that there are some solid allegations and not just fake news. Certainly, there have been paper leak and cheating incidents but those were also not rare when any other government was at helm. The BJP government has tried to deal with these by introducing strong legislation against cheating in examinations and technology intervention for maintaining transparency, among others.

 

 

In contrast to Congress's accusations, the BJP has taken several steps in reforming educational policies. The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a revolutionary reform targeting the structural change in Indian education. It emphasises a holistic educational approach, skill-based learning and reduction of the rote method. Technology is being adopted for education in the NEP 2020, and that has also indicated how paper leaks could be an issue of the past thanks to safe online exam platforms.

 

The Modi government took note and responded on specific issues that have been raised during by the students. E.g., after NEET-UG Scandal, govt ordered immediate enquiry including postponement of NEET-PG exam to maintain fairness and transparency. These actions clearly show that the government is focused on maintaining concord in education system and calling upon student issues instantly.

 

 

It is no secret that the media has been a major player in endearing people to whatever controversy NEET-UG brings. Prone to sensational reporting which just amplifies accusations without any real evidence, it can build a biassed narrative. The public is in excellent need of distinguishing between less than true political rhetoric and verified details.

 

 

Overall, the ongoing NEET-UG 2024 controversy has turned into a political chessboard; Congress charged BJP of nurturing "education mafia." Irregularities in exams are indeed a worrying issue, but its equally important to also appreciate some of the steps taken by executive under Modi towards addressing this concern. While the NEP 2020 provides a template on education, quick response to malpractices indicates that they are proactive in changing India's long pending educational scenario.