Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, called the NEET paper leak a “ghor paap” (grave sin) and said all those involved had been arrested, with 13 accused currently in custody.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government acted swiftly, conducted a re-examination and declared results on time. He added that strict punishment for those responsible would help prevent future exam leaks and protect the credibility of public examinations.
The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions in the NEET-UG paper leak case, with petitioners seeking the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and a CBI probe. The controversy led to the cancellation of the exam on May 12 after allegations of leaked questions and compromised integrity.
Investigations into alleged malpractice, including claims of leaked question papers in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, led to several arrests. A re-examination was held on June 21, with results declared for over 11 lakh candidates. However, fresh complaints over score discrepancies and OMR sheet issues emerged, which the NTA denied, saying its evaluation system was secure.
CJP protests escalates after Delhi crackdown
Thousands of protesters gathered in Delhi after a police crackdown on supporters of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is demanding education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The previous day’s protest, where demonstrators attempted to march towards Parliament despite restrictions, turned violent. Police used batons and tear gas, leaving around 60 protesters injured, while authorities said 118 policemen were also hurt and 70 protesters were detained. Opposition parties criticised the police action.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi backed the protesters’ demands as “legitimate” and accused the government of ignoring youth concerns. He led Congress MPs in a march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, demanding accountability over the police action.
The CJP protests have continued for a month at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and gained wider attention after activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk joined the movement on June 28 and began an indefinite hunger strike. He was later removed from the protest site by police and taken to hospital, where he continued his fast. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and Wangchuk have received support from opposition parties, farmer leaders, activists and celebrities.
The government engaged with protesters for the first time when Health Minister JP Nadda met CJP leaders ahead of the planned march to Parliament. Nadda described the meeting as cordial and urged protesters to end their sit-in. Demonstrations have also been held in several Indian cities, while members of the Indian diaspora gathered outside the Indian High Commission in London in solidarity with students protesting alleged NEET irregularities and the Delhi crackdown.
