'Education minister must resign': Dharmendra Pradhan avoids media questions amid NEET UG 2026 paper leak

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday declined to answer media questions on the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination, even as protests erupted in parts of the national capital over alleged paper leak concerns linked to the exam.

A video clip circulating on social media showed Dharmendra Pradhan avoiding questions from reporters shortly after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the cancellation of the medical entrance examination.

The development triggered protests outside Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi, where members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) demonstrated against the NTA, accusing the agency of failing to ensure a fair and secure examination process.

The NTA cancelled NEET UG 2026 following allegations that questions from a circulated "guess paper" closely matched those in the examination conducted on May 3. The Centre has also referred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a detailed probe into the alleged irregularities.

In a statement issued online, the NTA said the decision was taken after inputs from central agencies and findings related to possible compromises in the conduct of the examination. The agency stated that the exam "could not be allowed to stand" and announced that fresh dates for the re-examination would be notified separately.

NEET UG is among India's largest entrance examinations for undergraduate medical admissions, with nearly 22 lakh candidates reportedly appearing this year. The cancellation has left students and parents facing uncertainty over revised examination schedules, preparation timelines and admission processes.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the government over the issue, alleging that the future of lakhs of students had been jeopardised due to repeated examination irregularities. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi described the cancellation as a "crime against the future of the youth" and accused the BJP-led Centre of failing to curb paper leaks and corruption in the education system.

Opposition leaders across parties also questioned the credibility of the examination process and alleged the involvement of "paper leak mafias" and influential networks. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said recurring incidents of paper leaks had exposed systemic failures within the NTA and called for accountability from officials responsible for conducting the examination. He also demanded a time-bound judicial inquiry into the matter.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed there could be more paper leak cases that had not yet surfaced publicly, while Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy said such controversies risked eroding public trust in the NTA. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also questioned the impact of the cancellation on students and parents who had spent years preparing for the examination.

Investigators in Rajasthan are currently probing allegations that a "guess paper" circulated before the exam contained questions closely resembling those asked in the actual NEET UG 2026 paper.

This is also not the first crisis confronting the Education Ministry in recent years. The NEET UG 2024 controversy had already sparked nationwide outrage over alleged irregularities, grace marks and transparency concerns. The government then defended the system, insisting that the integrity of the examination process remained intact. One year later, another cancellation has revived criticism that lessons were not learned and institutional reforms were inadequate.