Chandigarh: Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government over the repeated incidents of paper leaks, Congress Member of Parliament from Gurdaspur and former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, on Sunday demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Demand for Supreme Court Investigation
Randhawa also demanded that all paper leak cases be investigated impartially under the supervision of the Supreme Court. He stated, "Strict legal action should be taken against the guilty officials, middlemen and organised paper leak mafias. Along with providing financial and mental support to the lakhs of affected candidates, a transparent and secure digital system should be implemented for recruitment examinations." The Lok Sabha member made these remarks in a written statement.
Extent of Paper Leaks
According to Randhawa, an estimated 70 to 80 incidents of paper leaks have surfaced across the country. These include major exam leaks such as NEET-UG 2021 in Jaipur, NEET-UG 2024 in Patna-Hazaribagh, NEET-PG 2024, NEET-UG 2026 in Sikar, UGC-NET 2024, CSIR-UGC-NET 2024, CUET UG and PG 2024-25, and JEE Mains 2025. He highlighted that in 2024 alone, five out of 14 major competitive examinations witnessed paper leaks. Over 1.2 crore students have reportedly been affected by these incidents over the years.
Impact on Students
"Despite years of hard work and preparation, young aspirants are facing disappointment, mental stress and insecurity. Unfortunately, four youths have reportedly taken the extreme step of suicide, which is a serious reflection of the government's insensitivity and failure," Randhawa added.
