Decode Politics: How first battle between Modi govt 3.0, INDIA bloc hits a flashpoint over NEET, NET row

“They (government) can indulge in eyewash. But they will face such pressure from the Opposition that they are going to think twice about whatever they are doing. We will make sure that we put so much pressure on them that this issue (leaks of exam papers) is resolved,” Rahul said. He added that the Opposition would raise this issue in the upcoming session of Parliament.

Was paper leaks a poll issue?

During the recent Lok Sabha polls, which saw the INDIA bloc win 234 seats, the issue of paper leaks featured frequently in the election speeches of prominent Opposition faces — including Rahul, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, among other INDIA leaders — as a way to reach out to the youth.

The Congress, in its manifesto, had promised fast-track courts to adjudicate cases related to question paper leaks and provide monetary compensation to victims.

The BJP, too, used the paper leaks issue to attack the Opposition. During his campaign in Rajasthan, Modi claimed that the previous Congress government in the state was “itself involved in paper leaks” and had “betrayed the country’s youth.

Have there been other paper leaks recently?

Before the recent leaks, an investigation by The Indian Express had found at least 41 instances of paper leaks in 15 states over the last five years, in which the process of hiring for government jobs was disrupted. The leaks impacted at least 1.4 crore applicants for about 1.04 lakh government posts.

The most recent leak was in Uttar Pradesh in February this year, when the UP Police constable recruitment exam question paper was allegedly leaked and circulated on social media on the day of the exam. A total of 48 lakh candidates had registered to fill 60,244 constable positions. The state government ordered a retest but the date has not been announced yet.

The SP, which won its highest ever seats in UP at 37, and the Congress claimed that the paper leaks issue impacted the elections. The Opposition’s campaign on paper leaks was said to have resonated with the youth as it is directly linked to the issue of unemployment – an issue being linked to the BJP’s performance in the Lok Sabha polls, which saw the party come down from 303 seats in 2019 to 240 seats this time.

Is Oppn united over the row?

The Opposition leaders have not only raised the paper leaks issue, but also used it to target the BJP and PM Modi. The Congress has been aggressive over it. Other Opposition parties — including the SP, Shiv Sena (UBT), DMK, TMC, NCP (SP), CPI(M), CPI and AAP — have also raked it up in unison, demanding that the NEET-UG exam must also be scrapped and strict action taken against those responsible.

With a greater strength in Parliament, the Opposition is unlikely to let the row blow over anytime soon. Also, the issue of paper leaks concerns a large section of people – especially the youth and their families who spend years preparing for various entrance and recruitment examinations.

How has NDA govt responded?

While Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier maintained that there was no paper leak in the NEET-UG exam 2024, in a fist admission of “irregularities” in the conduct of this exam, Pradhan on Thursday acknowledged that there have been “some errors limited to specific regions”, referring to Bihar’s investigation into allegations of paper leak, and announced the setting up of a high-level committee to review the National Testing Agency (NTA)’s structure and functioning.

Addressing a press conference on the issue, Pradhan took “moral responsibility” for the loss of faith among youth and students. His stance on the matter was different from last week when he had said there was no evidence of a paper leak. “There is no corruption,” he had told reporters right after beginning his new stint as the Education Minister in the Modi government 3.0.

The BJP also hit back at Rahul, accusing him of politicising the matter at a time when the Centre was looking at it with sensitivity. BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “The government is fully sensitive and alert with regard to the NEET exam. It is also committed to ensure that no student faces any injustice and strict action is taken against those involved. But Rahul Gandhi, who could not pass even with third division in his third attempt and got just 100 seats (in the Lok Sabha polls), is trying to declare himself leader of the bright students.”