NEET Paper Leak Dominates Punjab Assembly Session, AAP Attacks BJP

The Punjab Assembly witnessed a stormy debate over examination paper leaks, with the Aam Aadmi Party government targeting the BJP-led Centre over the NEET controversy while the Congress cornered the Punjab government over alleged paper leaks in the state.

The Assembly passed a censure motion against the Centre over the NEET paper leak issue, with the ruling AAP accusing the Union government of failing to protect the future of lakhs of students.

Participating in the debate, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the NEET controversy was "not merely a paper leak but the sale of question papers." He alleged that 93 examination papers had been leaked across the country since 2014 and claimed that the highest number of such cases had occurred in BJP-ruled states.

Calling the issue "an attack on the future of students," Mann said the protests at Jantar Mantar reflected the anger of students and their parents.

He said that protesters demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister were met with lathi-charge, water cannons and pellet guns. He questioned the Centre for announcing fast-track courts after the controversy but not assuring students that paper leaks would be prevented in the future.

The Chief Minister also criticised the deployment of Army personnel during examinations, saying soldiers are trained to guard the nation's borders, not conduct examination duties.

Highlighting Punjab's education reforms, Mann said the number of government school students qualifying NEET had increased from 80 in 2021 to 882 under his government's tenure. He also reiterated his government's support for the student protests at Jantar Mantar.

Addressing allegations of paper leaks in Punjab, Mann said his government had acted immediately whenever irregularities were suspected. He said the Naib Tehsildar recruitment examination was conducted again after the government itself raised doubts despite the results having already been declared. He also said an attempt to cheat in a pharmacy examination using digital devices and scanning pens was detected and action was taken, asserting that the Punjab government had not tried to shield anyone.

However, the Opposition Congress mounted a sharp attack on the AAP government over examination irregularities in Punjab. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa led a walkout from the House and demanded the immediate resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains.

Congress leaders alleged that six examination papers had leaked in Punjab and questioned why the Education Minister had not accepted responsibility. They argued that if a Union Minister could resign over the NEET controversy, the Punjab Education Minister should also be held accountable.