New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that the Centre will introduce a bill in Parliament next week with provisions for stringent action against paper leaks, amid continuing protests over the alleged NEET paper leak.
In a video message released late on Thursday, Modi said the proposed legislation would be discussed and finalised by the Union Cabinet on Friday before being introduced during the second week of the Monsoon Session.
“The Cabinet will discuss the issue of paper leaks on Friday. After taking suggestions from Cabinet colleagues, further action will be finalised. On Monday, when the second week of the Monsoon Session begins, a bill containing provisions for strong action against paper leaks will be introduced, and we will try to pass it as early as possible,” he said.
Calling paper leaks a serious issue affecting lakhs of students and their families, the Prime Minister said the government had taken several measures since allegations of a NEET paper leak surfaced around two-and-a-half months ago.
He said those responsible had been arrested and jailed, while the government’s priority was to ensure that students did not lose an academic year.
“It was necessary to conduct the examination again immediately. By using all available resources, the government ensured that 22 lakh students could appear for the retest,” Modi said, adding that the results, declared on July 19, had brought relief to successful candidates.
Modi also said he had directed authorities to establish fast-track courts to expedite cases related to paper leaks, adding that such courts had already been set up.
Congress attacks PM
The Congress, however, dismissed the Prime Minister’s announcement as an attempt to deflect attention from demands for accountability.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Modi had finally broken his silence after two months but had failed to acknowledge student protests or the police action against demonstrators.
“The desperate and hassled-looking Prime Minister finally broke his two-month-long silence. Whatever eyewash he proposes, the first steps are clear: sack Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, punish those who assaulted students, and apologise,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
He alleged that the Modi government had initially denied the NEET paper leak and accused it of putting political interests above students’ concerns.
Ramesh also questioned the government’s handling of previous examination controversies, including the 2024 NEET-UG and UGC-NET cases, alleging weak investigations and a lack of accountability.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised Modi’s video message, accusing him of avoiding the demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and saying the Prime Minister should not “insult the intelligence of students” with a “pathetic midnight video.
