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New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday chaired a high-level security review meeting with central intelligence and security agencies to ensure foolproof arrangements for the upcoming NEET-UG re-examination, emphasising zero tolerance for any attempts to disrupt the process.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Education and the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) attended the meeting, where detailed preparations were scrutinised and potential vulnerabilities identified in advance. The Minister directed agencies to implement stringent preventive measures to guarantee a safe, secure, and transparent examination for lakhs of aspirants.

In a parallel engagement, Pradhan held discussions with representatives of major social media platforms, including Meta, Google, and Telegram, expressing grave concern over the surge in coordinated misinformation campaigns targeting competitive exams.

Officials highlighted how anonymous Telegram channels and online groups become particularly active before major examinations, peddling fake claims of paper leaks, sensational clickbait, and unverified rumours that cause widespread panic and anxiety among students and parents. Many such channels reportedly redirect users to bots and fake groups designed to amplify disinformation.

Intelligence inputs shared during the meeting revealed that several suspicious channels are being operated through a limited set of phone numbers, pointing to organised and orchestrated efforts.

Strong Crackdown Ordered

Taking serious note of the issue, the Education Minister instructed a focused and proactive crackdown on these networks. He directed representatives of social media platforms to swiftly identify, block, and take down channels spreading fake information, propaganda, and panic-mongering ahead of the re-examination.

Pradhan stressed the need for close real-time coordination between the platforms, the Ministry of Education, NTA, and law enforcement agencies to curb the spread of misleading content effectively.

“Safeguarding students from baseless and misleading narratives and preserving public trust in the examination system is a top priority for the government,” the Minister reiterated.

The government’s multi-pronged approach aims to create a secure environment for the re-examination while shielding candidates from the harmful effects of online misinformation. Further details on the re-examination schedule and security protocols are expected to be shared by the NTA in the coming days.