Controversy over NEET topper's attendance 'unnecessary', says Bihar education minister

Bihar Education Minister Krishnanand Verma on Thursday clarified that there should be no controversy around Kalpana Kumari, NEET topper as all the procedures were followed while allowing her to write Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) exams.

Speaking to ANI, the education minister said "She has merit and proved it by being NEET topper. She must be appreciated. There shouldn't be unnecessary controversy. All procedure was followedand only then she was allowed to take exam."

All India National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2018 topper Kalpana Kumari also topped the Class XII Science examination of (BSEB), results of which were declared on Wednesday.

Questions were raised on how Kalpana, who secured 86.8 per cent in the exam, could manage attendance at her school in Sheohar, Bihar, while preparing for the medical entrance exam at a two-year, regular classroom programme of a coaching institute in Delhi.

However, the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) on Wednesday clarified that there is no minimum provision of minimum attendance for the class 10th and 12th students appearing for the Bihar board exams.

NEET topper Kalpana Kumari topped the Science stream with 434 marks and Nidhi Sinha topped Commerce.

This year, overall 52.95 per cent students have cleared the Class 12 exam. Out of 11.9 lakh students to registered for the Class 12 examination, 6.31 lakh students passed.

One Class XII topper each from science, commerce and arts streams will be given a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh along with a laptop and a kindle e-reader. A cash prize of Rs 75,000 each will be given to the Class XII's second topper of every stream. Such third toppers will get Rs 50,000 each.

While the fourth and fifth rank holders of each stream of Class XII will get Rs 15,000 and a laptop each.

The top five scorers each of the three streams of Class XII examinations will also get the Deshratn Dr Rajendra Prasad Medha Chhatravriti. Under this scholarship,e Class XII pass-outs will get Rs 1,500 per month for graduation or integrated course.