Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “so miffed with the failures” of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that he has taken over the responsibility of ensuring the smooth conduct of the NEET-UG re-exam, adding that if a leak occurs in the upcoming test, the Prime Minister’s resignation would have to be demanded.
Singh, who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, referred to the Solicitor General’s remarks in court a few days ago and said the Prime Minister has taken responsibility to ensure that the NEET-UG re-examination is conducted successfully on June 21.
Speaking with news agency PTI, Singh said, “I have been a part of the legislative (processes) since 1977. I want to clearly state that it is instruction of the Chairman Rajya Sabha, that we don't have the right to speak about the decisions and deliberations in the Standing Committee till the time the report is presented in Parliament as a case of breach of privilege can be filed.”
His remarks came after a meeting of the committee he chairs.
Responding to media reports that he expressed confidence in the Prime Minister over the NEET issue during the meeting, Singh said, “It has come in the public domain that the PM is so miffed with the failures of Dharmendra Pradhan, that he has taken up all the responsibilities himself. Hence, he is accountable. We hope that it will be done properly, if a leak still happens, then we would have to ask for the PM's resignation.”
Hitting out at the government, Singh said no action has been taken over previous paper leaks.
“Has the PM not taken responsibility to ensure that NEET paper takes place successfully on June 21? He has taken. So we expect that under his watch, paper leak will not happen. If the paper is leaked under his watch then till now we were asking for Pradhan's resignation, but then we would have to ask for the resignation of PM,” he said.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also rejected reports that Singh expressed confidence in the Prime Minister during the committee meeting.
“The Standing Committee on Education has given no clean chit to the Prime Minister or his ‘system’ and Shri Digvijaya Singh did not express his confidence in them. One English-language media report is spreading mischievous news based on sources whose agenda is only to mislead,” Ramesh said on X.
Clarifying Singh’s remarks, Ramesh said, “Mr. Digvijaya Singh noted that we have been informed by the Solicitor General that the Prime Minister is monitoring the NEET re-exam personally. For the sake of our students, we must believe that the exam will be held successfully.”
He further said, “It is impossible for any reasonable mind to have any faith in the PM and his 'system',” and added, “This ‘system’ botched up the investigation in the 2024 NEET-UG paper leak. This ‘system’ continues to deny that the NEET-UG 2026 paper was leaked, when the truth is evident to all. This ‘system’ has not only wrecked administration of exams in higher education, but has done so in CBSE as well.”
Ramesh also said, “The Modi Government and its Education ‘system’ - thoroughly discredited and exposed as incompetent, corrupt, and arrogant - is now relying on out-of-context quotes, rumours, and fake news.”
The Congress leaders’ remarks come days after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that the government is seriously concerned about youth issues and that Prime Minister Modi is personally supervising the situation to ensure “there is no lacunae”.
“Some new mechanisms are also put in place for the June 21 examination. It may not be appropriate to divulge what is there, otherwise the very purpose will be frustrated. It is being monitored at the highest possible executive level,” Mehta had said.
“The prime minister personally is supervising this so that there is no lacunae,” he had added.
(With inputs from PTI)