Why aren't you firing education min. despite paper leaks: Rahul to PM Modi

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the repeated NEET paper leak controversies and asked why education minister Dharmendra Pradhan had not been removed despite recurring irregularities during his tenure.

In a post on X, Gandhi also targeted the prime minister over what he described as his continued silence on the issue. “NEET 2024: Paper leaked. Exam not cancelled. Minister did not resign. CBI set up an investigation. A committee was formed.

“NEET 2026: Paper leaked. Exam cancelled. Minister still did not resign. CBI is investigating again. Another committee will be formed,” Gandhi wrote.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), conducted on 3 May, following allegations of irregularities. The re-examination is scheduled to be held on 21 June.

Addressing the prime minister directly, Gandhi said, “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 'Pariksha pe Charcha'? Why aren't you dismissing the education minister who keeps failing repeatedly?” He used the hashtag “#SackPradhan” in the post.

‘Pariksha pe Charcha’ is an annual interaction programme in which the prime minister engages with students, parents and teachers. The initiative is aimed at reducing exam stress and promoting confidence and well-being among students.

On Saturday, Gandhi had demanded that Modi either immediately sack Pradhan or accept responsibility for the situation himself.

He also alleged that the “BJP-RSS nexus” had damaged India’s education system and said the efforts of 22 lakh NEET aspirants had gone in vain.

“The whole country knows that two days before NEET, its question paper was being distributed on WhatsApp. Dharmendra Pradhan ji says he has nothing to do with the matter. The (Parliamentary) Committee had made recommendations but he put it in the dustbin on the pretext that opposition people were on the committee and that it was of no use,” Gandhi said in a video statement.

“The truth is that you (government) have damaged the core of India. This is a nexus of the RSS, the BJP and their people that have been installed in universities, vice chancellors and professors, to mint money,” the former Congress president alleged, while demanding strict action against those involved in the purported paper leak.

Pradhan on Friday announced that the NEET-UG re-examination would be conducted on 21 June. He also said the medical entrance examination would shift to a computer-based format from next year in response to the irregularities linked to the test.

With PTI inputs