Digvijaya Singh seeks white paper on NTA exam leaks, writes to PM Modi

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to publish a comprehensive white paper detailing all instances of paper leaks and examination irregularities linked to National Testing Agency (NTA)-conducted tests over the past eight years.

In his letter dated 4 June, Singh argued that greater transparency was necessary to restore confidence among students following the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination amid allegations of a question paper leak.

The Rajya Sabha member, who also chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, said students across the country were facing immense stress and uncertainty due to recurring concerns over examination integrity.

He noted that the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 had significantly affected the mental well-being of lakhs of aspirants and that many students had expressed concerns about the lack of clarity surrounding investigations into previous paper leak cases.

According to Singh, there is currently no consolidated public record detailing instances of paper leaks, the progress of investigations, or the action taken by agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and state authorities.

He argued that the absence of official information had created space for speculation and rumours, further eroding trust in the examination system.

In his letter, Singh referred to concerns raised by students regarding the status of individuals accused in earlier examination leak cases, including the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak investigation in Hazaribagh. He also cited reports relating to the CBI's closure report in the cancelled UGC-NET 2024 examination case.

The Congress leader said questions surrounding the progress of such investigations and delays in legal proceedings had contributed to a perception that accountability was lacking.

To address these concerns, Singh proposed that the government release a detailed white paper listing every reported paper leak or irregularity in examinations conducted by the NTA since its inception.

He suggested that the document should include details of action taken by the NTA and investigative agencies, names and status of accused persons, arrests made, progress of investigations, filing of charge sheets or closure reports, and the current stage of legal proceedings.

The proposed report should also explain the reasons behind any closure reports and indicate whether accused individuals are on bail, facing trial, acquitted or convicted, he said.

Singh maintained that such a measure would serve as a confidence-building exercise for students and help reinforce faith in public institutions responsible for conducting competitive examinations.

"Issuing a transparent account of these cases would reassure young people that investigations are being pursued seriously and that justice is being delivered," he said in the letter.

The NEET-UG 2026 examination, conducted by the NTA on 3 May, was cancelled on 12 May following allegations of a paper leak. The matter is currently under investigation by the CBI. The re-examination has been scheduled for 21 June.

With IANS inputs