Sanjay Raut criticises Centre over reported plan to use IAF for NEET paper transport

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday criticised the Centre over reports that the government is considering involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) in transporting question papers for the NEET-UG re-examination, calling the move an admission of administrative failure.

Reacting to reports of a high-level meeting on measures to ensure the secure conduct of the medical entrance examination, the Rajya Sabha MP said the armed forces should not be drawn into what he described as failures in the management of the country's examination system.

In a post on social media platform X, Raut said the primary responsibility of the armed forces was to safeguard the nation’s borders and security interests, not to compensate for shortcomings in the functioning of educational institutions and examination authorities.

He argued that the reported proposal reflected the government's inability to prevent repeated examination paper leaks despite growing concerns among students and parents. According to Raut, instead of strengthening safeguards and holding those responsible accountable, the authorities were attempting to address the issue through extraordinary logistical measures.

The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the need for the Defence Minister to be involved in discussions related to examination arrangements, claiming that such developments highlighted weaknesses in the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Education Ministry.

Raut called for strict action against those responsible for the alleged leak of the NEET-UG question paper and urged the government to introduce reforms aimed at restoring confidence in the examination process. He said students deserved transparency, accountability and a credible system that protected their interests.

His remarks came after official sources indicated that the government was exploring the possibility of using the IAF to transport NEET-UG question papers for the re-examination scheduled on 21 June.

The proposal was discussed at a meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Sources, however, said that no final decision had been taken and that the proposal would be placed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for consideration.

The NEET-UG examination, conducted by the NTA on 3 May, was held across 551 cities in India and at 14 overseas centres, with nearly 23 lakh candidates registered for the test.

The examination was subsequently cancelled on 12 May following allegations of a question paper leak, prompting the announcement of a fresh examination on 21 June.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the case, has carried out searches at multiple locations across the country. Thirteen people have so far been arrested from cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, Latur and Ahilyanagar in connection with the alleged leak.

With PTI inputs