Students' hard work, sacrifices crushed by corrupt BJP regime: Rahul slams Centre over NEET(UG) exam paper leak

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday called the cancellation of NEET (UG) 2026 examination over paper leak a "crime against the future of the youth" and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "so-called 'amrit kaal' has turned into a 'vish kaal' (poison-filled era)" for the country.

While students' organisations NSU(I) and SFI hit the streets here demanding action against culprits, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal also joined the issue and urged students affected by the cancellation of the NEET exam to resort to mass protests as the government only understands the language of agitation while alleging that the culprits have “political patronage”.

In a post on 'X', Rahul said the "hard work, sacrifices, and dreams" of more than 22 lakh students have been crushed by the "corrupt" BJP regime.

"Some fathers took loans, some mothers sold their jewelry, lakhs of children stayed up all night studying, and in return, they got paper leaks, government negligence, and organised corruption in education. This is not just a failure—it's a crime against the future of the youth," he said.

"Every time, the paper mafia gets away scot-free, while honest students bear the punishment. Now, lakhs of students will once again endure the same mental stress, financial burden, and uncertainty. If one's destiny is determined not by hard work but by money and connections, then what meaning will education hold? The Prime Minister's so-called Amrit Kaal has turned into a poisonous era for the country," he said.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports had in a report said that five of the 14 national examinations conducted by the National Testing Agency in 2024 saw paper leaks and irregularities and 12 questions in the JEE Mains 2025 had to be withdrawn due to errors in the answer key.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the latest NEET episode is “only the latest in a series of instances which throw a question mark on the purpose and efficacy” of the NTA.

Recalling Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's admission on 16 June, 2024 that the NTA needs a lot of improvement, he said, “two years later, one must wonder what follow up action has occurred on this admission.”

“It is increasingly clear that what is needed is not just improvement, but a fundamental restructuring of the NTA and its ecosystem so that it is kept out of the hands of the Modi Government’s corrupt henchmen,” he said.

Congress' students wing NSU(I) and CPI(M)'s SFI held separate protests near Shastri Bhavan, which houses the Ministry of Education here.

NSU(I) workers held placards that read 'PM Compromised, Paper Compromised', 'Paper Leak, Modi Sarkar Weak', and 'Doctor ki Degree Bikao Hain' (Doctor's Degree is for sale). NSU(I) National President Vinod Jakhar said the cancellation of the examination itself proves that large-scale irregularities and serious lapses had taken place in the NEET examination process.