Modi Vows Punishment for NEET Leaks Amid Political Unrest

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak as a "grave sin" and a matter of national interest during a National Democratic Alliance meeting in New Delhi on July 21, 2026. Modi announced that 13 individuals have been arrested and vowed that the government will use leading lawyers to ensure the guilty receive the harshest possible punishment. To protect student futures, the government cancelled the May 12 exam and conducted a re-examination on June 21.

The announcement follows a surge in unrest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), whose 'Sansad Chalo' march on July 20 resulted in violent clashes with Delhi Police. Reports indicate approximately 180 injuries among civilians and security personnel, with authorities using lathi charges and tear gas to disperse crowds of up to 50,000. The Delhi Police subsequently filed six FIRs for rioting and vandalism.

The crisis shifted to Parliament during the Monsoon Session, where the INDIA bloc demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a sit-in outside the Prime Minister's residence and wore black in the House to protest police brutality. While the government eventually agreed to a parliamentary discussion on the examination irregularities, it refused to yield to demands for Pradhan's resignation. Tensions remained high as the government accused the opposition of using students as political props, while the opposition alleged a systemic collapse of the education system.