Medical college entrance exam

We are concerned at the lack of progress in addressing the demands of a section of students and guardians who are calling for an independent probe to ascertain the veracity of their claim that the entrance exam question paper was indeed leaked.

The agitating students, we understand, have incontrovertible evidence to prove their case. We fail to understand why the government, particularly the health ministry, is reluctant to give a hearing to the students or even hold an inquiry which is essential if only to prove the agitating students wrong. There is no need for the ministry to be rigid on a matter that involves the future of a large number of young people seeking a medical career.

We also fail to understand the health ministry's outright dismissal of the demand denying that any leak had taken place at all. That everything is not okay with the matter is evident from the fact that three persons were arrested in this connection by Rab and one of them has died under what we see as questionable circumstances. And no satisfactory explanation has come on the death; neither have we been told if anything has been obtained from those arrested. 

We feel that the issue has reached a point where dismissing the demands of the agitating students out of hand might lead to more agitation. Acceding to a demand by the government is not a sign of weakness but of good governance which seems to have suffered in this case because of the arbitrary action, in some instances brutal behaviour, and insensitive position of the ministry of health.