Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 12 : Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI) workers held a massive protest in Bhopal on Tuesday against the central government over the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination amid allegations of paper leak and examination irregularities.
NSUI state vice-president, Ravi Parmar, along with students and party workers, staged the demonstration in MP Nagar Zone 2 area in the state capital, demanding a judicial probe into the alleged paper leak and irregularities in the exam process.
The protestors also burned effigies of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Pradeep Joshi, chairman of the National Testing Agency (NTA), to express their anger over the issue.
"The cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exam is extremely serious. Over 22 lakh candidates appeared for the examination, and the government is playing with the future of these students. Paper-selling rackets are operating openly, and paper leaks are happening continuously, yet the government has failed to establish a proper system to prevent such incidents. The government that once spoke about education and healthcare has today failed on both fronts," Parmar told ANI.
The NSUI state vice-president also demanded that a judicial inquiry should be conducted under the supervision of retired judges of the Supreme Court or the High Court.
"Although orders have been issued for a CBI investigation, we demand that instead of a CBI probe, a judicial inquiry should be conducted under the supervision of a retired judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court. This is because the credibility of the CBI in Madhya Pradesh has already been exposed. Be it the Vyapam scam or the nursing scam, the CBI allegedly tried to cover up both cases," Parmar said.
He further alleged that in the state nursing scam, CBI officials were even caught red-handed while accepting bribes. Therefore, the NSUI demand a judicial investigation into the entire matter and justice for the 22 lakh students who appeared for the examination.
A major row has erupted following the Centre's decision to cancel the NEET-UG 2026 examination, originally conducted on May 3. The move comes after allegations regarding paper leaks and irregularities. The Government referred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive probe into the allegations.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) stated that the decision was taken after inputs were examined in coordination with central agencies, and findings shared by law enforcement agencies raised concerns over the integrity of the examination process. The agency clarified that the registration data, candidature details and examination centres chosen by candidates for the May 2026 cycle would remain valid for the re-test. No fresh registration will be required, and no additional fee will be charged.
Meanwhile, this matter has taken a political turn as Congress leader Sachin Pilot demanded the resignation of the Education Minister, saying accountability must be fixed over repeated lapses in national-level examinations.
"Of course. The department responsible for this should take responsibility. If this is happening repeatedly, the government must take action, no matter how prominent the individual involved may be, regardless of their affiliation with any organisation, ideology, or political party. There should be a judicial inquiry--one that is time-bound," Pilot told ANI.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, however, has so far declined to comment on the controversy, exiting a recent press interaction without taking questions.