June 2024

June 25,2024 Amidst the fervent protests by NSUI and NEET aspirants against paper leaks, another group of disheartened students raised their voices at Jantar Mantar on Monday. Students from AYUSH courses gathered to demand the cancellation of the National Exit Test (NExT) for the batches before 2023. This protest follows a history of dissent. Previously, due to strong protests, the implementation of NExT for MBBS students was postponed to the 2023 batch. However, AYUSH students have been required to take this exam starting from the 2018 batch. Jatin, an AYUSH student, said: “NExT was regulated in November 2023. In the regulation, they said students who joined internships before November 29, 2023, would not have to take the NExT, but those who joined afterwards would have to take it. However, when we took the exam, we were not made aware of such a test. The exam was applied to the National Medical Commission MBBS students from the 2024 batch, but for us, the AYUSH students, they applied the exam from 2015 and 2018 onwards instead. Our only demand is that this new regulation should be applied to the new batch and not the older ones.” The students also highlighted the government’s previous statements in 2020 that an exit exam would be introduced within three years. In 2022, they filed a Right to Information request to clarify whether older batches would be subjected to the exam. Roshan, another protester, questioned the fairness of imposing an unplanned exam at the end of their course. “Usually students are informed about the course duration, the number of exams, and the timeline for receiving their degree and registration before enrolling in any programme, including AYUSH. Based on this information, they make their enrollment decision. Therefore, it is unfair to impose an unexpected exam on students at the end of their course without prior preparation,” he said. The NCISM Regulations, 2023, which came into force on December 20, 2023, state that a National Exit Test (NExT) for each discipline, including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa of the Indian System of Medicine, will be conducted by the commission through a designated authority. The gazette notification further states that the NExT exam for AYUSH disciplines is required for granting a licence to practice as a medical practitioner in the respective discipline and for enrollment in the State Register or National Register as a registered medical practitioner of the Indian Systems of Medicine after completing a one-year internship. As the protest continued, the students reiterated their demand for fair treatment and reconsideration of the retroactive application of new exam regulations. The growing discontent among AYUSH students underscores the need for a reassessment of how these regulations are implemented and communicated. Tribune India

June 24,2024 New Delhi: The Gujarat government commenced a statewide campaign to eradicate Sickle cell disease. Around 65,000 people are to be examined under the initiative undertaken by the state government. The campaign began in Mandvi Tehsil of Gujarat, and is primarily focused on rural areas. The government began its campaign on World Sickle Cell Day (June 19) and it will end on July 3rd. Teams of doctors have been deployed in parts of the state, and over 50 hospitals have been involved in the campaign. Notably, sickle cell disease is a series of genetic red blood cell abnormalities that adversely affect haemoglobin levels in the body. Due to genetic mutations, RCBs become sickle-shaped. Currently, there is no cure for this disease. Chief District Health Officer, Dr. Anil Patel, said, “Like every year we are spreading sickle cell disease awareness.” Symptomatic individuals will be sent to the district hospital for further treatment. Some of the symptoms of this disease are anaemia, joint pain, breathing problems, and jaundice. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a nationwide campaign to curb sickle cell disease. Around 10 per cent of Gujarat’s population, which is around 8.5 million, have been affected by the disease. Earlier in the month of April, microbiologist Dr Yazdi Maneksha Italia, who pioneered the development of India ‘s first sickle cell anaemia control programme of the Gujarat government, was conferred with the Padma Shri award. Italia is among the 21 contributors to the counselling modules on sickle cell disease by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which aims to eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia by 2047. On winning the award, Italia said, “We are working in a tribal area, and sickle cell anaemia is a tribal health issue. It is a hereditary disease that is passed on from parents to children, and the treatment given for it is also different. We have been doing it for 40 years. Now the government has implemented it for the nation, and by 2047 we will reduce the number of patients with sickle cell anaemia to zero, so this is a very good thing. (ANI) Source: Healthworld

June 24,2024 New Delhi: As the newly-elected government embarks on its initial 100 days in power, the Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI) has unveiled a comprehensive agenda aimed at transforming the healthcare sector and creating a ‘Healthy India’. Representing the vast majority of hospitals across India, AHPI emphasises that the NDA government, now in its third consecutive term, should prioritize game changing initiatives to enhance the wellbeing of society at large. To begin with, AHPI highlights the importance of promotive and preventive health measures, sanitation under the Swachh Bharat initiative, access to clean drinking water, and improved nutrition focusing on millets. These fundamental public health aspects are essential in preventing diseases and promoting overall well-being. The association further urges the fast-tracking of all sub-centers and urban health centers. These centers should provide educational materials on preventive health in local languages and offer screenings for communicable and non-communicable diseases. Trained AYUSH doctors should be utilised for promotive health roles, while curative roles should remain under the allopathic stream. Dr Girdhar Gyani, Director General, AHPI, emphasized the need for strategic policy implementation and increased funding. He stated, “The new government has a unique opportunity to transform India’s healthcare landscape. By focusing on key areas, we can create a robust, efficient, and inclusive healthcare system that ensures the well-being of every Indian.” Emerging health threats like mental health, geriatrics, stroke, cancer, adult immunization, and the impact of climate on human health should be prioritized. Government spending on healthcare must increase to achieve universal health coverage and effectively address these pressing issues. AHPI suggests a high-intensity promotion of the Fit India Movement to emphasize the importance of physical exercise and yoga. Targeting schools, gram panchayats, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), and enterprises can strengthen occupational health schemes and foster a fitness culture, enhancing overall population health, it stated. To prevent overcrowding at premier institutes like AIIMS, the Body proposes a strict referral system. This system would ensure that patients are referred appropriately from sub-centers to primary health centers (PHCs), community health centers (CHCs), district hospitals, medical colleges, and finally AIIMS only for tertiary-level ailments, streamlining patient flow and improving healthcare delivery efficiency. Public health institutes must be made accountable and professional. Drawing inspiration from countries where public health facilities are preferred over private ones, AHPI suggests placing these institutes under autonomous state boards. These boards would receive partial funding from the government and generate additional funds independently, ensuring better management and accountability. Furthermore, the association recognizes the potential of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana but calls for its restructuring. The scheme has not reached all beneficiaries identified under SECC-2011, and it is crucial to include senior citizens not covered under other schemes. Additionally, addressing issues such as non-viable rates and delayed reimbursements that cause many private hospitals to opt out of the scheme is vital for its success. India currently has less than two-beds as against WHO norm of 3.5 beds per 1000 population. Incentivizing the private sector to establish tertiary care hospitals in tier-III towns and addressing the shortage of specialists by opening exclusive PG colleges are crucial steps. Promoting the indigenization of high-tech medical equipment and advancing the National Digital Health Mission, including the ABHA card and portability of medical records, can significantly improve the healthcare sector. As the Union Budget approaches, the association stated that they expect significant allocations for the healthcare sector to support these initiatives. Added that the first 100 days of the new government will be pivotal in setting the direction for a healthier India. Source: Healthworld

June 20,2024 New Delhi: Elsevier has released its latest report analysing gender equality in research. Progress Towards Gender Equality in Research & Innovation – 2024 Review examines inclusion and diversity in career cohorts across intersecting disciplines and geographies, tracking multiple indicators over 20 years. It reveals progress, with women now representing 41 per cent of researchers globally, but also that serious challenges persist in gender equity in research and innovation. Notably, at the current pace of change, equality remains unacceptably far away; for example, although women’s representation in mathematics, engineering and computer science is increasing, it is not projected to reach parity with men’s until 2052. And, while grant funding for women is rising (from 29 per cent in 2009 to 37 per cent in 2022), translation of research into innovation through patent applications – which serve as a proxy for understanding involvement in the full value chain of research – is much lower for women researchers. This is despite women’s strong performance in disciplines that relate to solving some of the biggest challenges the world faces, as expressed in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The report provides a substantial evidence base for academic leaders, funders, and policymakers to take data-led action on gender equality in research and innovation. Women have made gains in the last two decades – as of 2022, they represent 41 per cent (compared to 28 per cent in 2001) of all active researchers globally, with strong representation in health sciences. However, gender diversity hasn’t progressed equally in all fields, for example, in the physical sciences women represent just 33 per cent of researchers. Women’s participation in the research workforce differs substantially by country/region. In Portugal and Argentina, just over half (52 per cent) of active researchers are women. Women make up nearly half of active researchers in Brazil, Spain, and Italy, and around 40 per cent in the US and the UK. However, women make up 33 per cent in India, now the world’s third largest research-producing country; 30 per cent in Egypt; and less than a quarter (22 per cent) of active researchers in Japan. The average share of women among grant awardees increased globally from 29 per cent in 2009 to 37 per cent in 2022. The largest increases were for the Netherlands (+19 percentage points), Denmark (+13), the United Kingdom (+12), France (+10), Canada (+10), and Portugal (+8). Women comprise the majority of active researchers working on some UN SDG research areas, including education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), reduce inequalities (SDG 10) and peace and justice (SDG 16). For 10 of the 17 SDGs, proportionally slightly more women engage in more multidisciplinary research than men. Multidisciplinary research, in which researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds collaborate, is considered important to solving complex global challenges. Women’s progress is especially marked when assessed using indicators around societal impact, with their research more likely than men’s to be cited in policy documents and media. India leads in the growth of women researchers, yet global challenges persist, over the last decade, India presented the third highest compound annual growth rate for women’s share of active researchers, at 2 per cent, behind only Egypt and the Netherlands. Women researchers in India are more often cited by policy documents than men on average, with respective normalised scores of 0.41 and 0.37 across all subject areas. Within broad scientific areas, women outperform men in physical sciences (0.37 versus 0.35), social sciences (0.36 versus 0.33), STEM (0.40 versus 0.37) and are on par in health sciences (0.52 for both). Although women are underrepresented as inventors on patent applications, they are cited as often as men when focusing on patents citing scientific literature (0.40 for both). Women score higher in lifesciences (0.36 versus 0.34) and STEM (0.38 versus 0.37). Early-career Indian women in health sciences reached parity in 2022, representing 41 per cent of all Indian active researchers in this area. In lifesciences, early career women reached the parity zone in 2021, and as of 2022, they represent 43 per cent of active researchers. The share of women among grant awardees in India has shown improvement but lags behind global leaders. In India, the share of women among grant awardees is currently 33 per cent compared to 37 per cent globally. The report offers five recommended areas of action for the research and innovation communities: ⦁ Accelerate commitments and actions towards greater gender equity in research. ⦁ Stop the decline in participation with rising seniority by prioritising the retention of early-career women researchers into mid and advanced career stages. ⦁ Develop incentive structures to help women play an equal part in the full research and innovation value chain, including patents. ⦁ Apply a broad range of indicators to measure research effectiveness, including societal and policy impact. ⦁ Continue to collect and report inclusion and diversity data to monitor progress, identify gaps, evaluate policies, and drive accountability. Commenting on the report, Mirit Eldor, Managing Director, Lifesciences Solutions, Elsevier and Secretary, Inclusion and Diversity Independent Advisory Board, said, “With guidance from our Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Board, we have shaped this latest gender report to illuminate progress, ongoing disparities and pathways towards a more equitable research ecosystem. The report also offers the research community insights that can help evolve how research excellence is evaluated. We can now better understand the impact of women’s research in addressing the most serious challenges our world faces today.” Dr Hannah Valantine, Professor of Medicine, Stanford University and Member, Elsevier’s Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Board, said, “I was just so taken aback by the gender report’s scope, depth, breadth, thoughtfulness, and potential for real impact. It can lead to genuine culture change within institutions and funding agencies to in turn benefit individual researchers of all genders throughout their careers.” In an era where researchers are increasingly expected to help tackle the world’s most complex and important problems, especially as the 2030 deadline for the UN SDGs gets closer, the report provides valuable intersectional insight into women’s

June 20,2024 Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing challenge in Asia, with the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials driving the rise of drug-resistant infections. This article by Dr Kamini Walia from India explores the socioeconomic and cultural factors contributing to AMR in Asia, and highlights the need for a coordinated, regional effort to address this invisible threat. Antimicrobials are the foundation of modern medicine. Their discovery has completely transformed the management of infectious diseases and facilitated advances in transplantation, cancer care, and surgery. However, the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials − especially antibiotics − in humans, animals and plants are driving the rise of drug-resistant infections. This makes common infections harder to treat, and medical procedures and treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy, much riskier. Antibiotic resistance (AMR) first appeared in hospitals in the 1950s and has since become a global public health challenge. Both high- and low- and middle-income countries are facing the mounting pressure of drug resistant infections. The emergence of AMR is threatening to compromise the gains that were collectively made at the global level towards the control of infectious diseases. In 2019, drug resistant infections directly caused some 1.27 million deaths and are estimated to have been associated with nearly 5 million deaths overall.^  The adverse impacts of AMR go beyond the health sector and the well-being of people, it has serious ramifications also for economic well-being. According to a World Bank report, AMR will be responsible for a decrease of up to 3.8% in global exports, and reduce livestock production by 7.5% per cent per year, due to increased disease and related mortality, as well as trade restrictions. It will also result in an increase in healthcare-related costs of USD100 trillion by 2050. High antimicrobial resistance rates are a function of overuse of antimicrobials. In low-resource settings, the inappropriate use of antibiotics is often driven by poor sanitation and hygiene standards, insufficient regulations and ease of acquisition, scarcity of microbiology laboratory infrastructure, inadequate access to second-line and third-line antibiotics, and counterfeit or substandard antibiotics.   Out of the total world population of approximately 8.1 billion people, as of 2023, 4.57 billion were living in Asian continent which consists of 48 countries. It is also the wealthiest continent, with a total wealth at around USD177.82 trillion, and is home to 10 of the richest countries and growing economies such as India and China. This growing prosperity further reinforce the trend of AMR, as growth in wealth has been linked to an increase in access to antibiotics and demand for animal protein. To meet this demand, countries such as India and China have introduced large-scale farming, and the use of antimicrobials in livestock and agriculture means that antibiotic consumption is projected to double by 2030. Their improper disposal, non-existent antibiotic stewardship for animal health, and the lack of wastewater management further adds to high antimicrobial loads in the environment. While a 2023 Lancet article noted heightened awareness and actions against AMR in the WHO South-East Asia Region, drug resistance continues to increase. Of course, misuse of antimicrobials is, of course, not limited to Asia. A survey of 14 countries in the WHO European Region found that one-third of respondents consumed antibiotics without a medical prescription; in some countries, over 40% of antibiotics were obtained without medical advice. AMR is often called the “invisible threat”. At the population level, the public health risks of drug-resistant infections is not readily perceived by individuals, physicians, and policy-makers. At the individual level, the longer-term risk of misusing antibiotics in the short term is often overlooked with the hope of recovering more quickly from an illness, even when antibiotics may not the appropriate treatment, as for a viral infection. Given the socioeconomic and cultural diversity of Asian countries and the multifaceted nature of the challenges of AMR, there is no single solution or path to AMR control in the continent. First, healthcare systems need to be strengthened overall. There is also a need to invest in surveillance and research to inform evidence-based strategies and policies, and support innovation through investments and improved regulatory frameworks. There is also an urgent need for a coordinated effort across multiple sectors and regions, using a One Health approach, to combine and enhance efforts, expertise, and experiences in areas such as surveillance, socio-behavioral research, economics, and innovation to address AMR.. Although many countries have attempted to implement a national AMR action plans, there is need to escalate the issue of AMR control beyond just national agendas to a regional level so that the progress achieved in one country is not off-set by failures in another country. Now is the opportune time to put together a regionally coordinated effort, which that is target-driven, sustainable, and builds on a framework that facilitates communication and consistent governance to strengthen the fight against AMR.  Source: UICC

June 21,2024 Ottawa: This week, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for health warnings on social media for younger users. This recent call follows an earlier Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, also published by the Surgeon General. Health warnings on social media would be analogous to the ones seen on cigarette packages, serving as reminders to parents and youth of the mental health risks of social media. The Surgeon General also called for schools to become phone-free environments. Although in his op-ed, Murthy acknowledged that research on these topics is not yet conclusive, he also noted that we “don’t have the luxury to wait for perfect information.” Concerns over smartphone use and social media’s impact on child and adolescent mental health are far from new. But they have been reignited because new warnings are being suggested and put into place to limit their use. Smartphone bans or restrictions have been enacted in countries around the world although how these restrictions work in practice varies. Several Canadian provinces are also implementing such restrictions. Although these efforts are well intentioned, and seek to support youth, research supporting these practices is still unsettled. As researchers in child development and psychology, we feel it is essential to review related research and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of smartphone bans and social media health warnings. Our research shows that greater screen time is associated with negative physical, behavioural and cognitive outcomes. One reason why screen time may be problematic is it interferes with other activities that are associated with well-being, such as physical activity, interactions with family and friends, and academic pursuits. Some, but not all studies show that social media use is associated with more anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents. The pressure for social validation and gaining likes and followers can increase stress and anxiety in youth. Moreover, social media can result in cyberbullying and negative social interactions, which are in turn associated with poor mental health. Social media use in adolescents has also been associated with body image issues, particularly in girls. Social media can present filtered and unrealistic beauty standards that lead to dissatisfaction with one’s own body. It is important to note that these studies are correlational, and do not imply causal evidence. In terms of the impact of smartphones on attention, usage can be distracting to youth. For example, research shows that students can take up to 20 minutes to refocus after being distracted by their smartphones. The benefits and drawbacks of cell phone bans Banning smartphones from classrooms will likely lead to fewer student distractions, particularly for youth who are experiencing more difficulties in school. Without the need to police smartphone usage, teachers can also focus the classroom more on academic learning. Smartphone bans may also help protect youth against cyberbullying that can happen during class hours. However, smartphone bans in schools will not eliminate cyberbullying, which can occur in off school hours, so it remains critical to educate students, parents and teachers about recognizing, preventing, and addressing cyberbullying. In contrast, banning smart phones in school could have detrimental impacts for some youth. For example, LGBTQ+ youth use social media to form a community where they can get support, share information, and develop their identity. Limiting access to a space where they can feel safe and feel like they belong could exacerbate their mental health difficulties. Source: Healthworld

June 22,2024 Washington: The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the first menthol-flavored electronic cigarettes for adult smokers, acknowledging that vaping flavors can reduce the harms of traditional tobacco smoking. The FDA said it authorized four menthol e-cigarettes from Njoy, the vaping brand recently acquired by tobacco giant Altria, which also sells Marlboro cigarettes. The decision lends new credibility to vaping companies’ longstanding claim that their products can help blunt the toll of smoking, which is blamed for 480,000 U.S. deaths annually due to cancer, lung disease and heart disease. E-cigarettes have been sold in the U.S. since 2007 but in recent years their potential benefits for smokers have been overshadowed by their use by adolescents and teens. Parents and anti-tobacco groups immediately criticized the decision, which follows years of advocacy efforts to keep menthol and other flavors that can appeal to teens off the market. “This decision could mean we’ll never be able to close the Pandora’s box of the youth vaping epidemic,” said Meredith Berkman, co-founder of Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes. “FDA has once again failed American families by allowing a predatory industry to source its next generation of lifetime customers – America’s children.” Youth vaping has declined from all-time highs in recent years, with about 10 per cent of high schoolers reporting e-cigarette use last year. Of those who vaped, 90 per cent used flavors, including menthol. All the e-cigarettes previously authorized by the FDA have been tobacco, which isn’t widely used by young people who vape. Njoy is one of only three companies that previously received FDA’s OK for vaping products. Like those products, two of the Njoy menthol varieties come as cartridges that plug into a reusable device that heats liquid nicotine, turning it into an inhalable aerosol. The other two Njoy menthol products are disposable e-cigarettes. Njoy’s products accounted for less than 3 per cent of U.S. e-cigarette sales in the past year, according to retail data from Nielsen. Vuse, owned by Reynolds American, and Juul control about 60 per cent of the market, while hundreds of disposable brands account for the rest. Source: Healthworld

June 18,2024 New Delhi: Three days before the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) on May 5, some students received pop-up alerts on Telegram: “Leak paper available, price Rs 5000, message to buy @HQPaper.” The Supreme Court has now issued notices to the Centre and NTA on these alleged leaks after PILs piled up. But RTI activist Vivek Pandey says he had posted about these ‘leak paper’ offers on social media platforms even before the test. “But it fell on deaf ears,” he says. On May 5, the day of the exam, Pandey felt a sense of deja vu. But rather than just being happy with his I-told-you-so moment, Pandey has been spending most of his time filing complaints with the Union health ministry on the problems with NEET-UG, seeking updates from Bihar police about investigations into a leak from the state while also petitioning for action against the NTA in the SC. He had earlier filed an RTI seeking clarifications on the grace marks awarded by NTA which later withdrew them. Discrepancies in exams are personal for him. He attempted to pass the pre-medical test (PMT) in Madhya Pradesh for nearly four years but always ended up in failure. It was only when the Vyapam scam-where students cheated on a large scale to pass the state medical exam in connivance with senior officials, teachers and many middlemen- hit headlines that he realised that he was trying to win a fixed match. Pandey eventually cracked NEET but decided to work towards greater transparency in the medical education system, , filing around 1,000 RTIs since 2016. Though no one paid heed to his warnings in May, they are paying attention now. “When the ‘leak’ stories came out, we had a small group of 50 students who were disturbed by the reports. Now our support group has expanded to 4,500,” Pandey says, adding that there are lakhs who are now up in arms against the NTA. Like Pandey, Kota-based educator and students rights’ advocate Dr Amit Gupta regularly posts videos sharing the plight of aspirants, amassing nearly 30,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter). Gupta, who completed his MBBS but decided to become a teacher instead, began his ‘activism’ in 2015 after the AIPMT paper leak. “I gathered about 2,000 students, and we decided that enough was enough. Every time the cheaters just get away,” Gupta says. The group held rallies and dharnas, demanding a re-exam. However, they soon realised that taking the judicial route would bear more fruit. Eventually, the SC ruled in their favour. Since then, 46-year-old Gupta has been fighting for other reforms too. This year, after the NEET results row, Gupta began helping students out to file petitions. Years of experience in fighting legal battles have come in handy as his lawyers help students draft petitions and crowdsource legal fees. “If students take a single exam on one date with a single question paper in offline mode, there are bound to be leaks. Why can’t we adopt the JEE model where multiple question papers are prepared and exams are held on different dates online?” he asks. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has denied that there have been any leaks calling the allegations motivated. But the turmoil among students and parents has been hard to contain. Source: Healthworld

June 18,2024 New Delhi: Post-resolution of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-undergraduate (NEET-UG) controversies, significant reforms are anticipated within the National Testing Agency (NTA). According to govt sources, extensive changes in the agency’s operations and exam administration are under consideration, with a high-level committee likely to be established for recommendations.. The NEET-UG 2024 results, announced on June 4, faced widespread criticism from students and parents. Legal challenges were filed against the results, highlighting three main issues: the provision of grace marks to some students, claims of a leaked question paper, and suspected irregularities at specific exam centres. Many have called for an investigation and a retake of the exam. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasised on Sunday that the “harshest punishment” would be administered to those found guilty in the NEET UG 2024 “scam”, while assuring students and parents that govt is taking the matter seriously. A senior govt official said: “The matter is currently in the courts. The education ministry and NTA are also examining the details. However, once the issue is resolved based on the investigations and court orders, significant reforms will be initiated in all aspects of conducting these crucial examinations.” The official added that the ministry of education is likely to form a committee to recommend the reforms. As of Nov 2023, the NTA registered over 1.23 crore candidates, making it one of the largest exam-conducting bodies globally, second only to China’s Gaokao, which registered 1.29 crore candidates in 2023. For NEET-UG 2024, over 24 lakh candidates registered, while 14.7 lakh registered for the Joint Entrance Examination (Main), and more than 13.4 lakh for the CUET-UG 2024. Besides these major entrance exams for various undergraduate programmes, NTA also conducts other exams such as the National Council of Hotel Management Joint Entrance Exam (12,738 candidates), the Admission Test for Diploma in Sports Coaching (ATDSC) – 2024 of the National Institute of Sports (NIS), the Graduate Aptitude Test – Biotechnology (GAT-B), the Common Management Admission Test, the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test, the All India Sainik School Entrance Exam, and Swayam examinations, among others. Speaking to TOI, Pradhan said, “Govt will thoroughly review what happened in NEET and take steps to reform both the examinations and NTA. NTA is evolving and not perfect; we need to strengthen it further. We are concerned about the future of lakhs of young students.” In addition to three of the most competitive and high-profile entrance exams-NEET-UG and PG, CUET-UG and PG, and JEE (Main)-NTA also conducts the NET for UGC, recruitment exams for the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, Navodaya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Central Universities and Military Nursing Service, among others. Govt sources indicate that the planned reforms will include administrative, operational and logistical changes (centres and question papers) and capacity building, among other areas. Source: Healthworld

June 17,2024 New Delhi: The Centre on Sunday said that some discrepancies in the conduct of 2024 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) from specific locations have come to light and whoever found guilty, “even if it is NTA”, will not be spared. The Opposition has, in the meanwhile, declared that it will seek a scrutiny and review of NEET exams and NTA’s functioning by a parliamentary standing committee. The developments played out in the backdrop of the economic offences wing of Bihar Police arresting a few people and issuing summons in its probe into the alleged NEET paper leak. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan told media persons at Sambalpur, Odisha, that “in the NEET examination, some discrepancies from some specific locations have come to light. The government is trying to rectify it. Wherever we are getting verified information, action is being taken by keeping the court informed as the Supreme Court is monitoring the issue. The government is committed to make examinations like NEET 100 per cent transparent. I want to assure the students that whoever is found guilty, even if it is NTA, will not be spared”. He further said: “Strict action will be taken. The entire matter is in the court and the Supreme Court is monitoring it. We will not let anything go wrong.” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who is also party’s chief whip in the Rajya Sabha, said: “Serious questions have been raised about the integrity of the National Testing Agency and the way NEET is designed and administered. NCERT itself has lost its professionalism over the past decade. It is expected that the new standing committee, when formed, will conduct a thorough review of NEET, NTA and NCERT. This should be given top priority.” He added: “I was a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare between 2014 and 2019. I remember the widespread support for NEET at that time. But there were also MPs – especially from Tamil Nadu – who expressed concern that NEET would benefit CBSE students and harm students from other boards. I feel CBSE needs to do a proper analysis on this issue. Is NEET discriminatory? Are students from poor backgrounds being denied opportunities? Other states like Maharashtra have also expressed deep doubts about NEET.” Source: Healthworld