New Delhi, July 21:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday termed the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak a “grave sin” and assured strict action against those responsible, even as protests over the controversy continued across the country.
Addressing the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said the government acted swiftly once the leak came to light, leading to the arrest of 13 accused so far. He stressed that such incidents must not recur and called for strong coordination with states to safeguard the integrity of national-level examinations.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Centre moved quickly to contain the fallout, including cancelling the exam and conducting a re-test to protect students’ interests. The re-examination was held on June 21, with results declared on schedule.
The controversy began after allegations surfaced that a “guess paper” closely matched the actual question paper, with investigators later claiming that a handwritten question bank had circulated prior to the exam, particularly in Rajasthan. Reports suggested that over 400 questions were leaked, with a significant portion matching the final paper.
Following the uproar, the National Testing Agency cancelled NEET-UG 2026 and ordered a re-examination. The results saw over 11.21 lakh candidates qualifying for admissions to medical and allied courses.
However, fresh concerns have emerged after several candidates alleged discrepancies in their scores and OMR sheets. While the NTA has rejected these claims, calling its evaluation process secure, the issue is now before the Supreme Court, where petitions seeking a probe and structural reforms are set to be heard.
The government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in public examinations, with the Prime Minister emphasising that strict punishment for those involved would serve as a deterrent against future leaks.
Opposition parties launched a blistering attack on the government over the police action against the CJP-led protest during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on the NEET paper leak issue, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi dubbing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “most anti-youth” PM in the country’s history.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) accused the Delhi Police of using excessive force against protesters to prevent them from reaching Parliament, alleging that several students were injured and activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, was pushed around.
Delhi Police, however, denied that Angmo was assaulted, saying the reports were “completely false and misleading”. “No individuals were subjected to targeted assault,” it said.
Opposition parties protested over the NEET paper leak issue in Parliament and demanded a discussion, stalling proceedings on the opening day of the Monsoon session.
Taking to X, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said, “Prime Minister Modi is the ‘most anti-youth’ Prime Minister in India’s history. He’s so ‘anti-youth’ that he can’t even take the resignation of a failed Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan.