Congress protests in Jammu over NEET cancellation, demands accountability
Repeated exam scandals under BJP rule embarrass India’s education system: Bhalla
Jammu: The Indian National Congress chapter in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) staged a protest in Jammu against the BJP-led Indian government over the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exam, demanding strict action against those involved in the paper leak and a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the scandal.
According to Kashmir Media Service, scores of Congress workers and leaders, led by IIOJK Congress working president Raman Bhalla, held a demonstration outside the party headquarters, raising slogans against the BJP government and burning an effigy of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Addressing reporters, Bhalla demanded a transparent and impartial investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court to expose those responsible and restore students’ trust in the examination system. “We demand a Supreme Court-monitored investigation to uncover the high-level nexus behind the paper leak and ensure a foolproof system for transparent and fair competitive examinations in the future,” he said.
The protest followed the National Testing Agency (NTA)’s announcement cancelling National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) [NEET UG] 2026 examination conducted on May 3, citing irregularities linked to the paper leak. The agency said the exam would be reconducted on dates to be announced separately, while the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been tasked with carrying out a comprehensive inquiry.
Lashing out at the BJP-led government, Bhalla said it was playing with the future of the youth as incidents of paper leaks and recruitment scams had become widespread since the BJP came to power. He said repeated controversies surrounding the NEET examination had brought embarrassment to India’s education system and demanded accountability from those responsible. Targeting the BJP, he said the ruling party had promised transparency and development but failed to curb examination scams and institutional corruption.
Bhalla also highlighted several recruitment scams reported in IIOJK after 2014, including irregularities in fire services, accounts assistant, junior engineer and sub-inspector recruitments. He said that influential links had surfaced in several of these cases and urged New Delhi to take strict action against corruption instead of remaining silent. KMS-19S
