Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan faced intense scrutiny from the Opposition today over the ongoing NEET controversy and allegations of paper leaks. When questioned about his potential resignation, Pradhan stated that he holds his position “at the mercy of my leader” and stressed that the government is “collectively answerable”.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the government’s handling of alleged exam paper leaks, asserting that the administration is on track to set new records in such scandals. He expressed frustration with the lack of justice for protesting students, urging that the current minister should not remain in office if the situation does not improve.
In his response, Pradhan highlighted that examination results have been published in accordance with Supreme Court directives. He also referenced past instances of paper leaks during Yadav’s tenure as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, indicating that he could provide a detailed record if needed.
Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi delivered a sharp critique, accusing Pradhan of failing to grasp the severity of the examination system’s issues. Gandhi argued that the widespread belief among students is that the examination system is corrupt and that wealth can influence outcomes, questioning the government’s plans to address these systemic problems.
Pradhan defended his position, asserting that he has strong support from his constituency and dismissed the Opposition’s criticism as baseless. He condemned Gandhi’s remarks about the examination system, labelling them as deeply unfortunate.
Pradhan also referenced the previous Congress-led Government, accusing them of withdrawing critical education reform bills under pressure from private medical colleges. He argued that the current administration has been transparent, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducting over 240 exams with no evidence of leaks in the past seven years.
When pressed by Congress MP B Manickam Tagore about resigning, Pradhan reiterated that his continuation in office is dependent on his leader’s decision and that the government remains collectively accountable for addressing any issues.
Dharmendra Pradhan, a prominent BJP leader from Odisha, has been under fire for several months due to alleged irregularities in NEET and the cancellation of multiple exams.
