Assam flags NEET exam fraud: CM Sarma targets private centres after police uncover score manipulation

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 14, 2025

The Assam government is preparing a crackdown on private NEET exam centres after police uncovered suspicious score patterns—students securing unusually high marks despite poor classroom performance.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma held a video conference on Monday with the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and his team. The meeting followed a Special Branch investigation by Assam Police that revealed potential malpractice in several private centres. According to the probe, some students who cleared NEET from these centres showed marks that didn’t match their academic capabilities.

“Some private centres are under serious suspicion. The @assampolice inquiry found students scoring exceptionally high marks from these locations,” Sarma posted on X after the meeting.

Initial findings revealed that the majority of NEET centres in Assam were hosted in private institutions—raising red flags about exam integrity. As a corrective measure, the state government has recommended shifting all NEET centres to government or government-aided colleges.

The proposed reforms include:

Conducting NEET only in government or govt-aided institutions

Mandatory Aadhar-based and biometric verification at centres

Full CCTV surveillance in exam halls

Strict SOPs for material handling and candidate frisking

Pre-exam inspections by District Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs)

Deployment of senior civil and police officers for exam monitoring

Sanitation protocols at all venues

Harsh penalties for malpractice and illegal conduct

“NEET is a vital exam, and we’re committed to holding it with full transparency. No compromise,” Sarma said.

This move follows the Assam Cabinet’s March 9 decision to reform the exam framework after reports of irregularities. The state will also push for direct supervision of NEET by DCs and SPs to ensure tighter monitoring and accountability.

The findings of Assam Police and the government’s swift action signal a major shift in how high-stakes exams will be conducted in the state—placing transparency and fairness at the forefront.