Raichur (PTI): Karnataka Medical Education and Skill Development Minister Sharan Prakash Patil on Friday termed the NEET-UG 2024 exam a "massive scam" of the Modi government and demanded that the Centre order a CBI probe.

He said that more and more irregularities in the NEET exam are being exposed and blamed the Centre’s failures for the current mess.

In a statement issued by the minister's office, Patil said that the people of the entire country suspect the involvement of many people in this scam.

“The central government’s reluctance to order a probe despite the exposure of this massive scam raises doubts in the minds of the people. All the state governments have demanded a CBI probe. We don’t know if the Centre is trying to shield the culprits. The Modi government is playing with the future of 24 lakh students across the country,” he said.

Expressing the state government’s limitations in seeking exemption from NEET, Patil cited the Supreme Court order and the legal restrictions.

"We cannot outrightly reject NEET as per the law. It was enacted by the central government and we have a Supreme Court order regarding conducting NEET. The Tamil Nadu government has expressed its position, we need to fight legally. The apex court has told the Centre to accept it if it has bungled (the exam)," he said.

"It’s sad that the Centre is not taking this seriously even as students and parents continue their protests across the country. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is acting in an irresponsible manner. The CBI should conduct the probe and guilty must be punished,” he added.