Source TOI
NEW DELHI — In a stinging critique of the government’s handling of academic examinations, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a fierce assault on Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the alleged paper leak that led to the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
Taking to social media platform X, the Congress leader questioned the Prime Minister’s continued silence on the crisis and demanded the immediate dismissal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, labeling him a “failed” minister who has compromised the future of millions of students.
The Cycle of ‘No Accountability’
Drawing sharp parallels between the medical entrance controversies of 2024 and 2026, Gandhi accused the administration of hiding behind repetitive procedures without establishing clear accountability.
“NEET 2024: Paper leaked. Exam not cancelled. Minister did not resign. CBI set up an investigation. A committee was formed,” Gandhi wrote. “NEET 2026: Paper leaked. Exam cancelled. Minister still did not resign. CBI is investigating again. Another committee will be formed.”
“Mr. Modi, the country is asking you some questions — answer them! Why are paper leaks happening repeatedly? Why are you silent time and again on this ‘exam paper discussion’? Why aren’t you dismissing the education minister who keeps failing repeatedly?” he added, concluding his post with a direct demand: “Sack Pradhan.”
‘A Department of Disasters’
Expanding his criticism beyond the medical entrance exam, Gandhi asserted that the Union Education Ministry’s recent performance has plunged students across various age brackets into deep systemic instability. He highlighted three consecutive issues:
The NEET-UG Leak: Affecting roughly 22 lakh medical aspirants nationwide following the May 3 examination.
CBSE Class 12 Evaluation Crisis: Where students allegedly received unexpectedly low marks due to discrepancies in the Online Screen Marking (OSM) system, jeopardizing university admissions.
Abrupt Language Policy Shift: Sudden directives requiring Class 9 students to adopt a new language curriculum by July without adequate textbooks or trained instructors.
“Three exams. Three age groups. One Minister. Dharmendra Pradhan ji has not failed once. He has failed every single age group of India’s students at once,” Gandhi remarked, calling the ministry a “department of disasters.”
Investigation and Political Fallout
The political standoff comes in the wake of the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelling the May 3 NEET-UG examination after early investigations revealed that leaked question papers had actively circulated on digital platforms, including WhatsApp, prior to the test. The central government subsequently transferred the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), scheduling a nationwide re-test for June 21.
The CBI has already made significant headway, arresting nine individuals across five states. High-profile arrests include a senior Pune-based Botany teacher, whom the NTA had appointed as an exam expert, giving her direct access to sensitive evaluation materials.
While Minister Pradhan has previously defended the ministry’s prompt actions and noted that the advisory panels included multi-party representation, the opposition maintains that structural corruption and ideological appointments have hollowed out the credibility of India’s premium educational boards.
