Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for the toughest possible measures against individuals involved in the alleged question paper leak for the national medical entrance examination, stating that preventing such breaches remains a national responsibility.
Addressing lawmakers following a meeting of the governing National Democratic Alliance on Tuesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the prime minister urged all political figures to cooperate in establishing a secure and reliable examination system.
According to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that protecting the academic future of young citizens should rise above partisan political debate. He appealed to opposition parties to support parliamentary proceedings despite ongoing political differences.
The prime minister's comments coincided with growing public anger over allegations of widespread exam irregularities. On Monday, police officers used tear gas and batons to halt hundreds of student demonstrators marching towards Parliament in New Delhi.
The Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical political group that formed earlier this year, organised the street demonstration. Protesters assembled to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the handling of the national testing framework.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, known as NEET, is India's primary entrance examination for medical undergraduate courses and is taken by more than two million candidates each year. The original exam was cancelled in May after allegations surfaced that the question paper had been shared ahead of the test, prompting authorities to conduct a re-examination.
Public frustration widened after complaints emerged regarding the digital evaluation process for nearly two million high school students under the national central board, with several candidates reporting mismatched marks and grading errors.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the government acted swiftly once the breach became known, leading to multiple arrests and immediate judicial proceedings. He added that the authorities organised the re-examination rapidly to ensure minimal disruption for students.
Tensions surrounding the issue increased after activist Sonam Wangchuk was admitted to hospital on Saturday, concluding a 21-day hunger strike held in solidarity with the student movement. Speaking from his hospital bed, activist Sonam Wangchuk announced that he would maintain his fast to protest the police response against peaceful assembly.
Representatives from the Cockroach Janta Party later met Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda to submit a formal list of administrative demands. Health Minister J.P. Nadda confirmed that the discussion took place and described the conversation as cordial.
Meanwhile, proceedings on the opening day of Parliament's Monsoon Session faced repeated interruptions, as opposition members staged protests regarding the paper leak and separate controversies concerning religious trust donations.
