Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 16: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi-led government, demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the ongoing controversy surrounding the NEET examination and repeated paper leak incidents affecting competitive exams.
In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Kharge criticised the government's handling of the issue, alleging that authorities were focusing on temporary measures instead of addressing the root causes behind recurring examination irregularities.
He referred to the temporary blocking of the messaging platform Telegram during the NEET re-examination process and claimed that the government was relying on extraordinary steps such as using the Indian Air Force to transport question papers while failing to take action against the masterminds behind the leaks.
“Prime Minister Modi should first seek the resignation of his Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, who has effectively blocked the future of crores of young people,” Kharge said.
The Congress leader alleged that around 90 paper leak incidents had occurred over the past decade, adversely affecting nearly nine crore students and job aspirants preparing for government recruitment examinations and higher education entrance tests.
He also highlighted the emotional and financial burden faced by students and their families, claiming that several young aspirants had died by suicide after suffering repeated setbacks.
Kharge said many parents had taken loans and spent substantial amounts on coaching for examinations such as NEET, SSC, UGC-NET and CUET, only to see their children's aspirations disrupted by recurring examination controversies.
The Congress chief also referred to recent concerns surrounding CBSE examination results, alleging that even school students aged 17 and 18 were compelled to protest against what he described as an unfair system.
He further claimed that questions were now being raised over the credibility of even the prestigious Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination process.
Demanding accountability, Kharge said Pradhan’s resignation should be the government's first step towards restoring public confidence.
“The country's aware youth are united in making one demand — the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan,” he said, accusing the BJP-led government of repeatedly failing to tackle systemic problems in the education and recruitment sectors.
He added that the issue had become a major test of governance and alleged that the government had failed to protect the interests and future of millions of students and job seekers across the country.