New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the PM broke his 'two-month-long' silence on examination paper leaks through a video message, alleging that the central government consistently ignored student interest. He asserted that the students no longer have any faith in the ruling government.
Ramesh, in a post on X, criticised the Centre over its handling of past examination controversies and shifting investigative stances.
He wrote, "The desperate and hassled-looking Pradhan Mantri finally broke his two-month-long silence late last night via a video message to speak on paper leaks."
Targeting the timing of recent official statements addressing testing irregularities, the Congress leader remarked, "Remember that the Modi Sarkar has long denied that the NEET-UG 2026 exam was leaked. The Mantri Pradhan deliberately refused to use the word leak in his press conference and the Education Ministry officially denied that a paper leak occurred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education. It is only the outpouring of public anger over the last two months that has made the Pradhan Mantri accept the truth."
He further wrote, "But this is also exactly why students no longer have any faith in the Modi Government. It has consistently prioritised its own cynical political calculations over student interest. It deliberately buried the evidence of widespread irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam despite the extremely fishy clustering of toppers in a handful of test centres."
"It finally acknowledged that the NEET exam that year underwent what it called a 'selective leak' in Hazaribagh, but it has failed to bring justice to the perpetrators - after calling Sanjeev Mukhiya the kingpin of the leak, it is now claiming that he is innocent. The CBI has also filed a closure report alleging that there was no paper leak in the cancelled UGC-NET examination of 2024, but has failed to provide any reasons for the same," Jairam Ramesh stated.
The Congress general secretary further highlighted the mounting concerns over handling testing controversies and argued that the administration neglected accountability and failed to address recent demonstrations effectively.
He wrote, "This crisis does not originate in our slow-moving judiciary alone but in the weak investigations conducted by the CBI and the dishonest political leadership of the Modi Government. The Pradhan Mantri's lack of commitment to accountability is evident from his failure to even mention the student protests or the brutality unleashed on them by his police forces on 20th July."
"Therefore, whatever eyewash the Pradhan Mantri proposes, the first steps to any resolution are clear -1. Sack Mantri Pradhan 2. Punish those who beat them. 3. Apologise," Jairam Ramesh added.
Earlier, PM Modi urged Sonam Wangchuk to follow his routine as per the doctor's advice and regain his old weight as soon as possible. This comes after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his fast after 26 days.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, "I urge Sonam ji to follow his routine as per the doctors' advice and regain his old weight as soon as possible."
The PM also promised that "more strict" action would be taken against paper leaks as the CJP-led protests continue over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
He said, "I have issued directions to departments to set up Fast-Track Courts."
Along with the video, the Prime Minister wrote, "More strict actions against paper leaks to come in tomorrow's Cabinet!"
On the other hand, the Opposition and protesting students have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a detailed discussion on the NEET paper leak issue in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, with the controversy triggering protests inside and outside the House.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Sonam Wangchuk ended his hunger strike after 26 days in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh and senior leaders of the Apex Body of Leh Ladakh at Medanata Hospital. (ANI)
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
