Imagine you are an aspirant wanting to become a doctor. You have just completed school and are about to take the NEET examination, which you have been preparing for over the past two years. You completed your exam and scored above average. However, when the results come out, you realize that your scores are not good enough for your dream college. Undeterred, you decide to try one more time, dedicating another year to preparation. This time, your scores are significantly above the usual cutoff for your dream college. You are elated, but when you see the rankings, you notice that many people have exceedingly high scores. Disheartened, you start to doubt yourself, and your dedication wavers. You spend days in self-doubt, torturing yourself, until it is revealed that the papers were leaked. Your efforts, years of dedication, and actual good marks are now null and void. Would you not feel cheated?

That is how every NEET aspirant, both droppers and freshers, felt when they saw their NEET 2024 results. Exam paper leaks compromise the sanctity of the examination. The time, money, and infrastructure used in conducting the exam are wasted. Most importantly, it affects the very cause of the existence of the education system: the students. Their confidence and belief in the system and the agencies governing it are shattered. They are the biggest victims, dedicating time, energy, money, and emotions, all of which are devalued.

The problem is not a lack of understanding among agencies about the measures needed to avoid paper leaks. Strict surveillance and monitoring, the use of technology, controlled access to exam papers, and careful handling of printing and distribution can achieve this goal. This is not new information; it is already known to professionals in the agencies that conduct exams. The issue is that these precautions are not taken seriously. In a country like India, with such a large population, students are not taken seriously, nor are their time and efforts.

Governments are too occupied to consider the ailments of the students and the future human resources of the country because they are in abundance. Students are considered more of a liability than an asset by these agencies, leading to carelessness in handling exam papers.

Therefore, the best solution for stopping paper leaks is to acknowledge the efforts of students and implement the necessary precautions to prevent further misdeeds.