Modi addresses NEET-UG paper leak, says Cabinet to discuss fast-track judicial mechanism

Ashutosh Ranka, national spokesperson of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), on Wednesday criticised the Centre over its approach to tackling paper leaks, arguing that the recently amended anti-paper leak legislation focuses only on punitive measures after a leak occurs rather than preventing such incidents.Speaking on July 29, Ranka said the amended bill failed to address the systemic reforms needed to ensure the integrity of public examinations."Today's amended bill has the same problem that we have been talking about for a long time. You have been talking about everything after the paper leak, whether it is fast-track courts, harsher punishment or penalties. But you have not talked about what you are doing to stop the paper leak," he said.Are we really trying to stop paper leaks? pic.twitter.com/OSsutev9AK— Ashutosh Ranka (@AshutoshRanka) July 29, 2026 Cockroach Janta Party Founder Abhijeet Dipke Warns Govt Against Harassing NEET Protesters; Says Students Not Terrorists | VideoRanka called for comprehensive reforms in the examination system, including changes to the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), greater transparency in recruitment examinations, and stricter oversight of agencies involved in conducting tests.He said the government should focus on reforms such as making the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) a statutory body, ensuring transparency in examination schedules, calendars and syllabi, regulating coaching centres, and improving the monitoring of vendors associated with the examination process.He also stressed the need to prevent blacklisted vendors from re-entering the system and advocated for both physical and digital audits of the examination process."Until you talk about NTA reforms, until you talk about making SSC a statutory body, until you talk about transparency in exam schedule, calendar, syllabus, until you talk about coaching centres, until you talk about how to handle vendors, how to stop blacklisted vendors from entering the system, the problem of paper leak is not going to be solved," he said.'They Have Not Done Any Crime': Rahul Gandhi Alleges Govt Targeting Student Protesters With Surveillance, Threats | Video Ranka argued that the examination ecosystem requires an end-to-end review to strengthen its infrastructure and prevent recurring leaks."You are addressing only one part—what happens after the paper leak. You will also have to talk about how to stop the paper leak," he said.Urging the government to adopt a consultative approach, Ranka referred to his party's five-point demand charter and called for discussions with students, academicians and cyber experts before implementing further changes."Don't take hasty decisions because this is a question of the future of the country's children," he added.

Parliament witnessed a fiery debate on Tuesday as Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi launched a blistering attack on the Centre during discussions on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, holding the government accountable for the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy and the deaths of 21 students allegedly linked to the scandal.Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Gogoi criticised the ruling BJP for felicitating former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after his resignation, saying the gesture was insensitive given the circumstances surrounding the exam controversy."Twenty-one children lost their lives; they committed suicide. The minister under whose watch 21 children lost their lives, when he resigned from his post and returned to the House yesterday, you garlanded him as if he had returned from a war against Pakistan," Gogoi said.#WATCH | Speaking on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi says, "... 21 children lost their lives; they committed suicide. The minister under whose watch 21 children lost their lives, when he resigned from his post… pic.twitter.com/dIzbAivRdm— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2026 Questions Police Action Against Student ProtestersThe Congress leader also raised allegations of excessive police force during the nationwide protests over the NEET-UG paper leak, demanding accountability for the action taken against demonstrators."We saw police personnel slapping girls and attacking a girl in her private parts with a stick. Who gave these orders? Who authorised the use of pellet guns, electric batons and batons with nails?" he asked, calling for answers from the government over the handling of student protests.We saw police personnel slapping girls and attacking a girl into her private part through stick.Who gave orders for these? Who gave order for pellets gun, electric baton and baton with nails?— Gaurav Gogoi Ji pic.twitter.com/xAdxvVjYQp— Shantanu (@shaandelhite) July 28, 2026 'PM Focused On Instagram Reels Instead Of Education Reforms'Taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gogoi alleged that the government's priorities were misplaced in the aftermath of the examination crisis."Today, the Prime Minister appears in Instagram reels. In the first Cabinet meeting, instead of holding a comprehensive discussion on improving education and dismantling the paper-setting mafia, paper-solving mafia and testing centre mafia, the Prime Minister simply said to focus more on Instagram," he claimed.His remarks came as the Opposition continued to accuse the Centre of failing to address systemic issues exposed by the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.Parliament Resumes Business After Week-Long DeadlockThe debate marked Parliament's return to regular legislative business after nearly a week of disruptions over the NEET protest controversy and the police action against students.Leaders across party lines reportedly reached a consensus to begin discussions on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, allowing both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to resume normal proceedings.'Those Who Couldn't Stop Offering Theft Can't Stop Paper Leaks': Akhilesh Yadav's Sharp Dig At BJP What The Amendment Bill ProposesThe amendment bill seeks to significantly tighten the legal framework against examination-related malpractices.Among its key provisions are:Enhanced jail terms of 5 to 10 years for individuals found guilty of organised examination fraud.Financial penalties of up to ₹50 lakh for individuals and ₹10 crore for organised crime syndicates.Mandatory completion of investigations within two months.Establishment of special fast-track courts to conclude trials within three months, aimed at ensuring swift justice in public examination offences.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, a day after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests at Jantar Mantar demanded he be sacked over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.In a letter addressed to “young friends” on X, Pradhan said he had always respected the aspirations of the country’s youth and took full responsibility from the outset for the “irregularities” that came to light in the NEET-UG exam held in May 2026, after which the government handed the matter to the CBI, cancelled the exam and ordered a re-examination, alongside a move to computer-based testing from next year. He said the re-examination was completed on June 21 and results declared on July 16 were “satisfactory”, but that “individuals holding responsible positions” had tried to mislead students during this period, which he said “caused me deep distress”.Pradhan said his resignation was intended to prevent “anti-national forces from taking advantage of the protests” at Jantar Mantar, “preserve national unity”, and ensure no student’s future got “entangled in legal complexities” – allowing them to focus on their studies instead. The government hasn’t formally accepted his resignation yet. pic.twitter.com/VSArqS98OJ— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 25, 2026 The minister’s letter comes after a second round of talks on Friday between CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka and Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, held at the Constitution Club of India – a “neutral” venue the CJP had insisted on. Nadda had also met the two CJP leaders on July 20, the day of a Parliament march that saw police deploy lath-charge and tear gas to turn back protesters.In a letter submitted at the meeting, addressed to Nadda, the CJP said its three demands – Pradhan’s resignation, monetary compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following the NEET-UG paper leak, and no legal action against protesters – were “non-negotiable”, according to a Hindustan Times report. The letter also called on the government, the Rapid Action Force chief and the Delhi Police commissioner to “publicly apologise” to students it said were assaulted during the July 20 march. It further sought a response to the CJP’s five-point charter on examination reforms, warning that the movement would “grow bigger and spread across the country” if its demands went unmet.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ranka said Pradhan “needs to resign or he needs to be sacked”, adding that the government had sought until Saturday afternoon to respond.“We have told them we can't wait a lot more time on this. If Pradhan does not leave his seat within the next 1-2 days, then one more national call for protest will be given. This one will be much bigger than July 20, and it will be national. We have explained all this and we think they have understood it, that everyone in the country only wants Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Nothing less will work for us,” said Ranka.Reports had earlier indicated that the government would not concede on the demand for Pradhan’s resignation. According to an Indian Express report last night, a source present at a meeting of senior ministers was quoted as saying the government could not be seen “succumbing to the pressure of any protesting forces or groups”, warning that conceding once would invite similar demands for the removal of other ministers, or even the prime minister.NTA overhaul, but the story remains incompleteOn Friday, the government dismissed 47 officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body that conducts NEET, as part of what many among the mainstream media described as a major overhaul following the paper leak that triggered the protests. Unnamed “sources” cited in the report suggested further action against other officials could follow.One issue, however, complicates the official narrative. In a Rajya Sabha reply to MP V Sivadasan two days prior, minister of state for education Sukanta Majumdar had stated that the NTA employs only 24 permanent officers, against 39 sanctioned posts, spanning ranks from Director General down to Senior Superintendent. Additionally, the NTA has 73 personnel on contract – including advisors, consultants and young professionals – and 124 more through outsourcing, covering roles such as data analysts and legal associates.With only 24 permanent officers on the rolls, the dismissal of 47 officials raises the question of exactly who was let go – whether the number includes contractual staff, and if so, how many. Only the government can clarify this. Modi pushes ministers towards Instagram, new paper leak billSeparately, The Hindu reported that Prime Minister Modi has directed Cabinet colleagues to become more active on Instagram and engage directly with young people, a day after posting a vertical-format reel promising strict action against exam paper leak “mafias”.Modi’s own Instagram following reportedly grew substantially following the video, in which he said fast-track court approvals for such cases had been cleared and would go before Cabinet before the Bill was tabled in Parliament’s second sitting week, from Monday.Meanwhile, the Centre is set to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Parliament on Monday. The proposed amendments raise the minimum punishment for unfair means and paper leaks from three years to five, with a maximum sentence of 10 years and a fine of Rs 50 lakh; for organised paper-leak crimes, the minimum sentence rises to seven years with a Rs 10 crore fine. The Bill also provides for a Central government-constituted Special Task Force to investigate such cases, with investigations to be completed within two months, trials conducted on a day-to-day basis and concluded within three months of the chargesheet being filed, and appeals – as far as possible – decided within three months.Police scrutiny and detentionsMohammad Junaid, a Ghaziabad resident volunteering at the protest, alleged that the Uttar Pradesh Police detained his family members and seized their bank passbooks and PAN cards during a raid at his house, and that relatives in Meerut were also harassed, in what he claimed was retaliation for his role distributing free food and water at Jantar Mantar. Meerut Police denied carrying out any action against Junaid’s family. Meanwhile, an Indian Express report described Delhi Police visiting restaurants and cafes near Jantar Mantar, using discarded food packaging recovered from the protest site to trace suppliers and ask them to stop free or bulk deliveries to protesters. In classic military strategy you choke food supply lines of the enemy army. Here it is being done to young students at Jantar Mantar. What kind of mindset is this? Delhi police harassing restaurants by probing who is ordering for the students from all over India.— M K Venu (@mkvenu1) July 25, 2026 Some eateries said they were asked to furnish proof of orders, including free consignments, while others said they were summoned to police stations. One restaurant owner, who said his south Delhi outlet had supplied roughly 800 food items daily to the protest site over three days, said officers visited while he was away and later summoned staff to a police station. A cafe employee said they took down a social media post offering shelter and refreshments to protesters “after the Delhi Police officers came to our premises”. Food Alert | Jantar Mantar ProtestWe need food at the protest site right now!Please send food to the Tolstoy Road entrance, Jantar Mantar All supporters who wish to contribute — your help is needed and welcomed. — Cockroach is Back (@Cockroachisback) July 25, 2026 Small teams can do great things. All it takes is a subscription. Subscribe now and power Newslaundry’s work.  ‘Nobody asked us to’: Meet the silent engine of the Jantar Mantar protestJantar Mantar: As Modi govt steps up outreach, what do students think about the road ahead?

New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will continue its protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, the party's founder Abhijeet Dipke announced in a video message on Friday.Message of Abhijit Dipke ho everyone,At Jantar Mantar pic.twitter.com/wl0N71xJVv— Cockroach Janta Party (@CJP_for_India) July 24, 2026 CJP Vows To Continue ProtestDipke said the agitation would continue despite climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk ending his 26-day hunger strike, reaffirming that the movement would not lose momentum. "We are relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike after 26 days. His life is very valuable for the nation," Dipke said.We are relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike after 26 days.Protest will continue at Jantar Mantar till the resignation of Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.— Cockroach Janta Party (@CJP_for_India) July 24, 2026 "CJP's protest will continue at Jantar Mantar till the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Sonam Sir's sacrifice of 26 days will not be wasted. Also, the sacrifices of the students who faced Delhi Police's brutality will not go in vain. Hence, our protest will continue till Dharmendra Pradhan resigns," he added.Sonam Wangchuk Ends FastWangchuk ended his indefinite fast late on Thursday night after Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh visited him at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram and helped him break his fast.Gurugram, Haryana: Activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his hunger strike. Union Minister JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh visited him at the hospital and helped him break his fast pic.twitter.com/4lmfPM7pTV— IANS (@ians_india) July 23, 2026 PM Modi Addresses ControversyThe development came amid the continuing political storm over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi releasing a late-night video message outlining the Centre's response to the controversy.Addressing students and their families, the Prime Minister described paper leaks as a serious issue that had caused anxiety among lakhs of aspirants across the country. He said the government had taken stringent action against those responsible, with the accused arrested and currently in jail. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) Modi said the government's immediate priority was to ensure that students did not lose an academic year because of the controversy. However, he stressed that the larger objective was to strengthen the examination system to prevent similar incidents in the future.Sonam Wangchuk Ends Fast After PM Modi Releases Late-Night Video Assuring Discussion On NEET-UG Paper Leak In Cabinet Proposal For Legal ReformsHe announced that the government had prepared a proposal for a fast-track judicial mechanism to deal with examination paper leak cases. According to the Prime Minister, the proposal received approval late on Thursday after consultations with the concerned departments.Modi said the proposal would be placed before the Union Cabinet on Friday for discussion and would be refined based on ministers' suggestions. He added that the government intends to introduce legislation on the issue when Parliament reconvenes for the second week of the ongoing Monsoon Session on Monday.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video message on the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, accusing the government of failing to address students’ concerns and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.Responding to PM Modi’s late-night video message on the issue, Gandhi said students were seeking accountability from the Education Minister and alleged that the Prime Minister’s address did not address their demands.Sharing his reaction on social media platform X, he wrote, "Mr. Modi, our students are demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation."Mr. Modi, our students are demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.Don’t insult their intelligence with this pathetic midnight video. 1. Sack Pradhan.2. Punish those who beat students.3. ⁠Apologise https://t.co/7SLB6pQqZx— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 23, 2026 Sonam Wangchuk Ends Fast After PM Modi Releases Late-Night Video Assuring Discussion On NEET-UG Paper Leak In CabinetHe further criticised the Prime Minister’s message, saying, "Don’t insult their intelligence with this pathetic midnight video."Gandhi also listed three demands, including the removal of the Education Minister, action against those accused of assaulting protesting students, and an apology.He wrote:1. Sack Pradhan.2. Punish those who beat students.3. ApologiseThe Congress MP’s remarks came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through a video, addressed the NEET-UG paper leak row, stating that the Centre had taken strict action against those involved and was working on measures to prevent examination fraud.'Tomorrow, There Will Be Discussion In Cabinet': PM Modi Releases Late Night VIDEO On NEET-UG Paper Leak RowIn a video message posted on his official Instagram account, Modi acknowledged the concerns of students and their families, calling paper leaks a serious issue that had affected lakhs of students."Friends, I know that paper leak is not an ordinary issue. It is very painful for lakhs of students and their families," the Prime Minister said.Highlighting the government’s response over the past two-and-a-half months, Modi said those responsible for the paper leak had been arrested and were now in jail. He added that the government’s priority was to ensure that students did not lose an academic year due to the controversy."It was very important to conduct the examinations immediately," he said, adding that the government mobilised resources to conduct examinations for around 22 lakh students. Modi also said the results were declared on July 19, following which students across the country started receiving admission offers and selection confirmations.However, the Prime Minister said the government was not satisfied with merely conducting examinations and declaring results. He said steps were being taken to strengthen the system and ensure quicker action in future paper leak cases. View this post on Instagram Centre Reshuffles Top Education Bureaucrats Amid NEET Paper Leak RowModi said he had directed officials to prepare a proposal for a fast-track judicial mechanism to deal with examination leak cases. According to him, the proposal received approval after officials worked through the day and would be discussed by the Union Cabinet on Friday.He further said the government would seek to introduce and pass the proposed legislation when Parliament reconvenes for the second week of the ongoing session on Monday.

Climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday ended his hunger strike after Union Minister JP Nadda and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh visited him at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, Haryana and helped him break his fast.Gurugram, Haryana: Activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his hunger strike. Union Minister JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh visited him at the hospital and helped him break his fast pic.twitter.com/4lmfPM7pTV— IANS (@ians_india) July 23, 2026 'Tomorrow, There Will Be Discussion In Cabinet': PM Modi Releases Late Night VIDEO On NEET-UG Paper Leak RowThe development came amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the NEET-UG paper leak, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi releasing a late-night video message addressing the issue and outlining the Centre’s measures to tackle examination-related fraud.In his video message posted on his official Instagram account, Prime Minister Modi said the government had taken stringent action following the paper leak controversy, including the arrest of those involved, ensuring that students did not lose an academic year, and preparing legislation to fast-track cases linked to examination leaks.Acknowledging the concerns of students and their families, Modi said paper leaks were a serious matter that had caused distress among lakhs of students. View this post on Instagram 'Whole System Must Be Held Accountable': NEET UG 2026 Highest-Ranking Candidate Outside India Speaks To FPJ | Exclusive"Friends, I know that paper leak is not an ordinary issue. It is very painful for lakhs of students and their families," the Prime Minister said.Highlighting the government’s response over the past two-and-a-half months, Modi said those responsible for the paper leak had been arrested and were currently in jail. He added that the government’s immediate priority was to ensure that students did not suffer an academic setback due to the controversy."It was very important to conduct the examinations immediately," he said, adding that the government mobilised its resources to facilitate examinations for around 22 lakh students. The Prime Minister also noted that the examination results were declared on July 19 and that students across the country had since started receiving admission offers and selection confirmations.However, the Prime Minister stressed that conducting examinations and declaring results was not the only objective, stating that the government was working towards strengthening the system to prevent such incidents in the future.He said he had directed the concerned departments to prepare a proposal for a fast-track judicial mechanism to deal with paper leak cases. According to him, the departments worked through the day and secured approval for the proposal late on Thursday night. The Prime Minister further said the proposal would be discussed in the Union Cabinet on Friday and would be finalised after considering suggestions from Cabinet ministers.He added that the government would seek to introduce and pass the proposed legislation when Parliament reconvenes for the second week of the ongoing session on Monday.