Amid an ongoing row over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate 2024 (NEET) and the National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET), Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “acted immediately” and directed the minister concerned to safeguard the interest of students.

Talking to reporters here, Kumaraswamy said Modi acted immediately after the issue came to his notice.

“In the first cabinet itself, he advised the concerned minister how to…safeguard the interest of the students. He has given direction,” the Union Minister said.

Meanwhile, Bihar Congress staged a protest over irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), demanding a CBI investigation into the matter.

The demonstration, led by Legislative Council member Madan Mohan Jha, saw party members and supporters taking to the streets of Patna, voicing their concerns over “paper leaks and corruption in several competitive exams”.

Protesters raised slogans against the BJP government, calling for justice for affected students and stringent punishment for those involved in the malpractices.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had asserted to further strengthen the National Testing Agency by “reconsidering important things.”

The Union Education Minister had also assured action against those responsible for the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the examinations.

Speaking to a news agency on Thursday, Pradhan said, “In a democracy, everyone has their views. It is our job to listen to everyone. Our responsibility is to run a process-driven government, it is our responsibility to speak the truth and accept truth. Few students have doubts about the NTA (National Testing Agency) and we will have to accept this.”

“The government has decided to form a committee and experts will be part of that committee. All the important things will be reconsidered and the NTA will be strengthened further. Those who are responsible for it (discrepancies) will be held accountable,” he said.

The Union Education Minister earlier announced the formation of a high-level committee to probe into the issues pertaining to the functioning of NTA.

“We are committed to holding zero-error exams, and a high-level committee is being formed to improve NTA functioning,” Pradhan said at a briefing earlier on Thursday.