00:00I'm now joined by the Director General of the National Testing Agency.
00:04Abhishek Singh is joining me. He's a Senior IS Officer.
00:07I want to immediately bring you in, sir.
00:09Thank you for speaking to India today.
00:10My first question is, what specific inputs did the NTA have
00:14that declared that the exam cannot stand, that it is unfit to stand?
00:18Tell us, sir.
00:20As we had declared in the press release that we issued on the 10th of May,
00:26that NTA had received some inputs on the late night of the 7th of May
00:31with regard to certain WhatsApp messages floating with content
00:38which had some similarity with the question papers which were asked.
00:42This message was shared with the law enforcement agencies for verification.
00:48The two issues were there.
00:50On the date of the conduct of the examination, nothing was reported.
00:53The exam was conducted very smoothly.
00:54But NTA had committed to a zero-tolerance policy
00:57for smooth conduct and fair conduct of this examination.
01:00So we verified the allegations made in that message that we got on the 7th.
01:05The agency verified on the 8th and 9th.
01:08And we got this information on the 10th evening and 11th
01:14that some of the allegations are seeming to be true.
01:18So since we had decided on a zero-tolerance policy
01:22and we wanted to ensure that majority of the students are not adversely impacted
01:27and to ensure that anyone who is trying to break the resolve of NTA
01:33to conduct free examination, anyone who is trying to scam,
01:37anyone who is trying to do any malpractice,
01:39their ambitions will be thwarted.
01:42Their objectives will be thwarted.
01:43We would not let them play around with the future of our children.
01:47How widespread do you believe, sir?
01:49How widespread does the NTA believe that the paper leak was up?
01:52And I'm asking in the sense of how many people do you think
01:55had access to the neat paper?
02:00All of it will be clear once we get the complete inquiry report from CBI
02:08because they are the best suited for doing such inquiries
02:12with regard to whether it was widespread or not.
02:15But our approach was that it's a zero-tolerance examination.
02:19Even if it was localized anywhere,
02:21we cannot allow such people to play around with the future of our children
02:25with the integrity of the examination that NTA conducts.
02:27Even though it seems to be a tough decision,
02:30it's tough for students, it's tough for parents, it's tough for NTA
02:33because more than 200,000 people were involved in the conduct of this examination.
02:37It takes a lot of effort to do that.
02:39It also takes a lot of effort on part of the students to write these examinations.
02:42But if there are people who think that they can play around
02:45with the resolve of the government to conduct free examinations,
02:50we will not tolerate that.
02:51We will take all possible steps to ensure that they are caught,
02:55they are punished, they are sent to jail and NTA conducts an examination
02:59which is completely error-free, which is completely fair,
03:05which is completely in the interest of students.
03:09I appreciate you saying that because I know a lot of parents and students
03:12would be devastated right now to know that they gave the paper
03:15and it's been cancelled.
03:16But so the name that's coming here of the place is Nashik, a printing press.
03:20So how did one, did you know, or the NTA, I mean, of course,
03:25that it got leaked from Nashik, the printing press,
03:28was it not audited, monitored?
03:30Were there security protocols that failed here?
03:33What are you picking up about,
03:34especially the fact that Nashik area's name is coming up
03:37and the printing press there?
03:39See, as I mentioned, I would not like to prejudge the inquiry.
03:43The inquiry has been entrusted to CBI.
03:46CBI is best suited to conduct the inquiry.
03:49Let them look at all the records which NTA has,
03:53all the evidence which is there,
03:55all the allegations which are there.
03:57Let them get hold of the criminals.
03:59Let them do the investigations.
04:00And then we come to a conclusion with regard to
04:03who is accountable and who is responsible
04:05for this unfortunate situation we are in.
04:08Sir, you gave me the dates of when the whistleblower message was received.
04:11Can you confirm to us again that this was after the examination?
04:15Because the parents and the students would then want to know
04:18if the information had already reached the NTA
04:20or the deserving authorities.
04:22Why wasn't the paper cancelled before it happened?
04:27As I mentioned, we received this information from the whistleblower
04:30on the night of 7th of May,
04:33which is more than four days after the conduct of the examination.
04:36So the examination was already conducted.
04:39This information was not with us before the examination.
04:42Before this examination, we got several complaints.
04:45We verified each one of it.
04:46We blocked 120 telegram channels.
04:49We appealed to all the students that in case they hear of any such a thing,
04:53please do report to us.
04:54So we inquired into each of such complaints
04:57and we had committed to all the students
04:59and all the stakeholders and all the parents
05:00that in case anybody does anything before the exam,
05:04during the exam or after it,
05:05the strong arm of law will come down on it.
05:07And that's why we have taken this very, very tough decision
05:10for cancelling this whole examination across the country.
05:13We have taken this decision for conducting a re-examination.
05:17We have taken this decision of refunding the fees
05:19that students have paid for this examination.
05:21We will not be charging any fees for the repeat examination.
05:25It will be a drain on NTA, but NTA takes this responsibility
05:28because we are committed towards conducting fair,
05:31transparent, error-free examination.
05:33So you're saying that...
05:34Just a few more questions.
05:36So you're saying that 7th May, I think, is what you said
05:38when the whistleblower message was received,
05:40inquiry started,
05:41and then there was this cross-checking that was done.
05:45Digital evidence is being looked at,
05:47WhatsApp groups especially,
05:48because my concern here is,
05:49and we'll put out that graphics also on our screen.
05:52Sir, even if it got leaked from Nashik,
05:54how does it travel across the state so easily,
05:58reach to certain beneficiaries
06:00who have paid possibly lakhs of rupees
06:02for that question paper?
06:05See, this is...
06:07This is you who is saying that it came from Nashik or wherever.
06:10I will not be able to say that
06:11till I get a conclusive evidence report from CBI
06:15with regard to this.
06:16The fact of the matter is that
06:18when we looked into the evidence
06:20which was there with us yesterday,
06:22we could conclude that
06:25conducting with the present round of examinations
06:27will not be fair for the majority of the examinations
06:30because integrity of the examination
06:32even to a small extent is violated.
06:35And since we are committed to a zero-error examination,
06:38we took this call,
06:39this bold call,
06:40this big call
06:41that we have to cancel and repeat the examination.
06:44So this is...
06:45But sir, could you say that this did go through other states as well,
06:49that this was not limited to one state?
06:50Could you confirm that for us?
06:53I cannot till I get the inquiry report
06:55from the law enforcement agencies.
06:57We have referred the case to CBI.
06:59We should wait for CBI to confirm for it,
07:03whether it was in one state,
07:04one district or multiple states,
07:06wherever.
07:07So, but my concern was only that
07:10if the process is vitiated,
07:12even for a small geography,
07:14it is a reason enough for a call to be taken
07:17to kind of
07:20hold the efforts of these campsters
07:22for doing this,
07:23to teach them a lesson that let them not do.
07:26In fact, before the examination also,
07:27we had made an appeal to students
07:29that if they come across any such player,
07:32please report to us,
07:33we will take action against them,
07:34we will take legal action against them.
07:36We have verified each and every complaint
07:38that we have received.
07:40And in this case also,
07:41when we came to know that
07:42there is even an iota of evidence
07:45of what was complained in,
07:46we decided to take this action.
07:48Just to ensure that nobody else
07:50dares to do this any time in the future.
07:52Sir, because clearly you had the evidence
07:55and it seemed enough to cause a concern
07:58and decide that the paper cannot continue
08:00because investigation will reveal possibly
08:02that it could have been widespread.
08:03So, the next paper that happens,
08:05when are we expecting that, one?
08:07And second, how will you then ensure, sir,
08:09as the NDA DG,
08:11that there will be security protocols
08:13not violated this time?
08:14Because students or parents
08:16may have the same concern
08:17that this can be repeated
08:18the next time as well.
08:20I need to get off on this call
08:21and sit with my team
08:22to finalize the schedule
08:23for the conduct of the next round of examinations.
08:26We want to do it as soon as possible
08:28with the minimal delay.
08:30We want to not impact
08:32the academic schedules for students.
08:35We don't want it to impact
08:36the academic calendars of medical colleges.
08:39We don't want it to adversely impact
08:41the medical education in this country.
08:42So, we are committed in consultation
08:44with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
08:46and Ministry of Education
08:47to decide the dates
08:48which will be as soon as possible.
08:50But we will be announcing that
08:51in the next few days.
08:52Sir, was it at the printing stage,
08:54transport stage
08:55or exam centre level
08:57that you believe,
08:58according to your information,
08:59I understand you cannot give a lot of details,
09:01but at what stage does one know
09:03that the leak has happened
09:04of this NET paper?
09:07I would not like to prejudge the work
09:09the CBI will be doing.
09:10Let the CBI get into
09:12the complete supply chain.
09:14Let them get into the complete process
09:16and let them come to a conclusive finding.
09:18And sir,
09:19the whistleblower message
09:20that you also appreciate that
09:22from where it's come
09:23and the details that
09:24because this could have been
09:26an anonymous hoax call as well.
09:27How did the NDA realise
09:29that this is a serious message
09:30and needs to be taken into consideration?
09:32The kind of cross-verification
09:33that was done
09:34of the papers,
09:35if you can tell us about that, sir?
09:37As I mentioned,
09:39before the examination,
09:40during the examination
09:41and after the examination,
09:43we have verified
09:44every complaint
09:45that we have received.
09:46So,
09:47every complaint
09:48has been received.
09:48So,
09:49whether it is anonymous,
09:50whether it's
09:52the identity
09:53of the person
09:54is mentioned there or not,
09:55we were committed
09:56to a zero-error examination.
09:58I had made that,
09:59we had made that announcement
10:00directly on our social media handles
10:02to our press releases,
10:03to our commitments
10:04to all key stakeholders.
10:05So,
10:06we verified
10:07each and every complaint
10:08and as I said,
10:09we are committed to,
10:10it is a setback,
10:11we are committed to conducting
10:13examinations
10:13which are zero-error
10:14and we will ensure
10:15that we are able to do that.
10:17There is no compromise on that.
10:19Sir,
10:19one message to the parents
10:20and students
10:21listening to you right now,
10:22many of them
10:23would be devastated,
10:24unsure of what happens next,
10:26if their future is at stake
10:27and why should they pay
10:28for what perhaps
10:30some with money
10:31or access
10:32have been able to get,
10:33which was the question paper
10:34of the NET.
10:37I fully,
10:38I am with them
10:39in this unfortunate situation
10:40which has led to where we are.
10:43I fully understand their agony.
10:45I am a parent myself.
10:46I have had students
10:47who have children
10:48who have gone through
10:48this whole process.
10:49It can be very agonizing.
10:51It can be very troubling
10:52for students,
10:53for parents.
10:54We know the stress
10:55they go through
10:55before the examination,
10:57during the examination,
10:58in the run-up
10:59to the examination.
10:59So I fully understand
11:01their anguish
11:01and their anger.
11:02But I can assure you
11:04that had we not
11:05taken this tough decision,
11:07it would not have been fair
11:08for the majority
11:09of the students
11:09who had worked
11:10day in and day out
11:11for this examination
11:13to realize their dreams
11:14for joining
11:15medical profession.
11:15So we had to take this
11:17in their interest.
11:18It is a hardship
11:20for the next two months
11:21or so
11:21till we complete
11:22this whole process.
11:23But it is worth doing it
11:25if we have to defeat
11:29these scamsters
11:30and defeat these criminals
11:31and identify them,
11:33get them punished.
11:33I am sure that
11:34in the run-up
11:35to the investigation,
11:36we will get many more
11:37whistleblowers
11:38who will disclose them.
11:39And if we are able
11:40to break this nexus,
11:41if we are able to break this,
11:42catch this,
11:43whosoever is involved,
11:44we will be able
11:45to clean up the system
11:46and that has been
11:48long needed.
11:49Sir, was this
11:50an entire paper leak
11:51or only some sections
11:52of the paper,
11:53if you can tell us?
11:53As I mentioned,
11:54let us wait for the CBI
11:55to come out
11:56with a complete inquiry.
11:57I appreciate you joining us.
11:58Abhishek Singh,
11:59the Director General
12:00of NTA
12:01and speaking first
12:02and exclusive to India today,
12:04help us understand,
12:04reassuring the parents.
12:06But clearly,
12:07this was a huge,
12:08huge setback
12:09that has come in.
12:10And that is what
12:11is the top
12:12that I can tell you
12:13that one,
12:14it happened
12:14after the examination
12:16that the message
12:17that they received
12:17that the paper
12:18was leaked
12:19and that was checked
12:20because that is
12:21what he has said
12:21that before the examination,
12:23during the examination,
12:24they did not have
12:25that message
12:26but a whistleblower
12:26message was received.
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