New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday refused to answer questions from the media regarding the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination amid allegations of paper leak and examination irregularities.
Pradhan declined to respond when reporters sought his reaction to the controversy surrounding the medical entrance examination, which was cancelled by the Centre earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Sachin Pilot demanded the resignation of the Education Minister, saying accountability must be fixed over repeated lapses in national-level examinations.
"Of course. The department responsible for this should take responsibility. If this is happening repeatedly, the government must take action, no matter how prominent the individual involved may be, regardless of their affiliation with any organisation, ideology, or political party. There should be a judicial inquiry--one that is time-bound," Pilot told ANI.
He further criticised the Centre for ordering a CBI probe instead of fixing responsibility.
"The Central Government has, once again, attempted to shield itself under the pretext of ordering a CBI inquiry. Under the guise of an investigation, you merely seek to stall the matter. An inquiry was instituted two years ago as well; where is its report? Who was penalised? Who faced punishment? No one has any idea," he said.
Pilot alleged that the National Testing Agency (NTA) had failed to establish a foolproof system for conducting the examination process.
"The National Testing Agency bore the primary responsibility of establishing a foolproof system for the entire process. From setting the papers and printing them to conducting the actual examination, if the individuals involved were not highly influential figures, they would have been apprehended by now. This suggests that some syndicate or mafia network is operating across the entire country," he alleged.
He further said that the BJP-led government should accept responsibility instead of "washing its hands" of the issue under the guise of an investigation.
Earlier in the day, amid allegations of a paper leak and examination irregularities, the Centre cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3 and announced that the examination would be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately.
The Government also referred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive probe into the allegations.
In a statement, the National Testing Agency said the decision was taken after inputs were examined in coordination with central agencies, and findings shared by law enforcement agencies raised concerns over the integrity of the examination process.
The agency clarified that the registration data, candidature details and examination centres chosen by candidates for the May 2026 cycle would remain valid for the re-test. No fresh registration will be required, and no additional fee will be charged.
NEET-UG, the single entrance examination for admission to MBBS, BDS and other undergraduate medical courses across India, was conducted on May 3 in pen-and-paper mode across more than 5,400 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. Around 22.79 lakh students appeared for the examination.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
