NEW DELHI: Independent MP from Purnea, Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, on Wednesday launched an attack on the Centre during the Lok Sabha debate on the Examination Amendment Bill, raising concerns over the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the handling of examination paper leak investigations.

 

Participating in the discussion, Pappu Yadav said the NTA, established in 2018, had accumulated Rs 3,654 crore between 2019 and 2024.

 

He questioned the government's appointment of the agency's leadership and alleged that the same official had been repeatedly entrusted with key positions despite facing adverse judicial findings.

 

“The Centre appointed as NTA chairman a person who had served in Madhya Pradesh and had been found guilty by a court. The same individual was later appointed Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission and then Chairman of the NTA. Is there only one officer in the entire country capable of holding these positions?” Yadav asked.

 

He further alleged that the NTA was being run by only 24 officials, despite conducting examinations for six to eight crore candidates every year. “I want to know why six to eight crore application forms are being processed every year and why such a huge amount of money goes to the NTA. Who are the people who have a stake in the NTA?” he said.

 

Raising concerns over the investigation into examination paper leak cases, Yadav questioned the role of central investigative agencies. “Who will conduct the investigation? The CBI has released five main accused in the paper leak case, including Sanjeev Mukhiya, who was allegedly a key accused in the NEET-UG paper leak and other examination paper leak cases in Bihar. The Central government also constituted an SIT and took away the state's investigative powers,” he alleged.

 

During his speech, the Purnea MP urged the government to adopt best practices from other countries to strengthen India's examination system.

 

He cited the United States, where many examinations are conducted through real-time computer-based testing; South Korea, where question paper setters are reportedly kept in isolation at undisclosed locations before examinations to maintain confidentiality; and China, where he claimed stringent penalties, including lifetime restrictions on government employment, are imposed on those convicted in examination fraud cases.