Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that families across India spend as much on NEET preparation as the Centre spends on its entire education budget, calling the figure an “insult” and a “crime”.Addressing students at the Chhatron Ki Goonj rally in Kota, Rahul said around 22 lakh students appear for the medical entrance examination every year and their families collectively spend nearly Rs 1.32 lakh crore on preparation.“In NEET, 22 lakh students take exams. Rs 1.32 lakh crore is withdrawn from the pockets of 22 lakh families. The money that these 22 lakh people give in a year, the Government of India spends the same amount in its entire education budget,” he said.Using a presentation during his speech, Gandhi expanded the argument to other major competitive examinations. Referring to SSC, UPSC, RRB, JEE and NEET, he claimed that families collectively spend around Rs 3.5 lakh crore on these five examinations.“Look at the money of these five exams. Rs 3.5 lakh crore is withdrawn from your pockets. Rs 3.5 lakh crore is withdrawn from your families’ pockets,” he said.He further alleged that this amount comes from family savings, loans and sacrifices made by parents in the hope of securing a better future for their children.“Rs 3.5 lakh crore is withdrawn from loans. Rs 3.5 lakh crore is withdrawn from pain and sorrow,” Rahul said.The Congress leader claimed that the amount spent by families on these five examinations is comparable to the government’s expenditure on several ministries.“The money that is withdrawn from your families in these five exams, the Government of India spends the same amount in its entire education budget, health budget, labour budget, science budget, women and child budget,” he said.Sharing his remarks later on social media, Rahul described India’s education system as “nothing more than an extortion mechanism.” He said families across the country spend an amount equivalent to the government’s education budget on NEET preparation alone and claimed that students feel they have been treated unfairly by the system.
