Crime against youth: Opposition slams government after NEET-UG cancelled

The Opposition on Tuesday slammed the government after the NEET-UG 2026 examination for undergraduate medical programmes was cancelled following reports of a paper leak in Rajasthan.

Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi called it a “crime against the future of the youth”, alleging that the dreams of over 22 lakh students had been crushed by the “corrupt BJP regime”.

“Some fathers took loans, some mothers sold their jewellery and lakhs of children stayed up all night studying. In return, they got paper leaks, government negligence, and organised corruption in education,” he wrote on X.

The Congress leader said honest students are forced to suffer whenever those responsible for paper leaks escape punishment, adding that lakhs of students would once again face mental stress, financial hardship and uncertainty. He further alleged that when money and influence determine success instead of hard work, the value of education stands diminished.

Targeting the Prime Minister, he claimed that the much-publicised “Amrit Kaal” had turned into a “poison era” for the country.

AAP leader Manish Sisodia went a step further, warning that Gen Z would overthrow the government at the Centre if the paper leak mafia continued to operate unchecked. Referring to the “Gen Z revolution” in Nepal, he claimed that a similar public backlash could emerge in India if such incidents continued.

“This is Gen Z. You cannot intimidate or threaten them using agencies like the ED or the CBI. If you fail to deliver justice, they will inflict upon you the very same fate that Gen Z meted out in Nepal,” he said.

'EDUCATION MINISTER MUST RESIGN'

Speaking to India Today TV, Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot alleged that the National Testing Agency has collapsed. "You only order investigations, and there is no end to them," he said, adding that a judicial probe should be ordered.

Pilot questioned how such incidents could continue despite both the Rajasthan government and the Centre being run by the BJP, asking where the much-publicised “double-engine government” was in the face of repeated paper leak cases.

He further alleged that the racket was operating under the government’s nose and claimed those involved appeared to be receiving protection at the highest level. "Dharmendra Pradhan should resign. He should take moral responsibility,” he said.

NEET-UG 2026 EXAMINATION CANCELLED

The NEET-UG 2026 examination, conducted on May 3, was cancelled on Tuesday following reports of a paper leak. The NTA said information gathered by law enforcement agencies indicated that the “present examination process could not be allowed to stand."

The agency said the examination would be conducted afresh, with revised dates to be announced in the coming days.

The announcement followed developments in Rajasthan, where the state police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) has been probing allegations that the NEET-UG question paper leaked days before the examination.

RAJASTHAN POLICE EXPOSES PAPER LEAK

According to details emerging from the probe over the last two days, a set of handwritten questions purportedly circulated as a “guess paper”, which is a question bank meant for last-minute preparation, partially matched the actual examination paper.

Investigators found that nearly 140 questions, carrying around 600 marks out of the total 720, were similar to those appearing in the handwritten document circulated two to three days before the examination.

In Rajasthan alone, more than 45 people have reportedly been detained so far in connection with the investigation. Initial findings suggest the leaked “guess paper” may have originated from a printing press, raising serious concerns over possible internal security lapses.

The Centre has now handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive inquiry. The agency will investigate how the alleged “guess paper” circulated ahead of the examination and whether an organised malpractice network was involved.