Congress slams Centre over NEET cancellation, cites paper leak and exam mismanagement

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Central government over the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination following allegations of a paper leak, accusing the BJP-led regime of failing the country's youth and allowing corruption to flourish in the education system.

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said the cancellation had shattered the dreams of more than 22 lakh students who had spent months preparing for the examination. He said many families had made immense sacrifices, with some parents taking loans and others selling jewellery to support their children's coaching and studies.

"The NEET 2026 exam has been cancelled. The hard work, sacrifices, and dreams of more than 22 lakh students have been crushed by this corrupt BJP regime," Gandhi said, adding that students were being punished while the "paper mafia" repeatedly escaped accountability.

He further alleged that repeated exam leaks, negligence, and organised corruption had eroded faith in the education system. According to him, students would once again face mental stress, financial burdens, and uncertainty due to the cancellation. Gandhi also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the government's much-publicised "Amrit Kaal" had turned into a "poison era" for the country.

Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh demanded a "fundamental restructuring" of the National Testing Agency (NTA), arguing that the agency had repeatedly failed to ensure the integrity of competitive examinations. Referring to a statement made by the Union Education Minister in 2024 acknowledging shortcomings in the NTA, Ramesh questioned what corrective measures had been taken since then.

Citing the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, Ramesh claimed that five out of 14 national examinations conducted by the NTA in 2024 witnessed paper leaks or irregularities. He also criticised the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), alleging that delays in examinations and results had disrupted academic calendars and pushed students towards private universities with more predictable admission schedules. Ramesh further accused the government of replacing long-standing admission systems with a centralised mechanism "rife with corruption" and lacking accountability to Parliament. (ANI)

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