Rahul Gandhi Criticizes Education Ministry Over NEET Paper Leak and CBSE Evaluation Issues
‘Department of disasters’: Rahul Gandhi ups ante against Centre over NEET paper leak, CBSE's OSM evaluation
Hindustan Times
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Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, criticized the Indian Ministry of Education as a 'department of disasters' over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and a significant drop in Class 12 pass rates due to the new on-screen marking system. He called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologize for the impact on students' futures.
- 01The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak affected nearly 23 lakh candidates, prompting widespread criticism.
- 02The overall pass percentage for Class 12 dropped to 85.2%, the lowest in seven years.
- 03Rahul Gandhi accused Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of failing all age groups of students.
- 04The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested nine individuals linked to the NEET paper leak.
- 05The CBSE's three-language mandate will require Class 9 students to learn at least two national languages starting July 1.
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Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, has intensified his criticism of the Indian government, labeling the Ministry of Education a 'department of disasters'. His comments were prompted by the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, which affected nearly 23 lakh candidates, and a significant drop in the Class 12 pass percentage to 85.2%, the lowest in seven years. Gandhi specifically targeted Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, stating that he has failed to support students across all age groups and called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologize for the damage caused to students' futures. In addition, the CBSE is facing backlash over its new on-screen marking (OSM) system, which has been blamed for the poor results, and its mandate requiring Class 9 and 10 students to study three languages, including at least two national languages. The CBI is currently investigating the NEET paper leak, having arrested nine individuals linked to the scandal. The government has announced a re-examination for NEET-UG on June 21 and plans to shift to a computer-based format next year.
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The controversies surrounding the NEET paper leak and the CBSE's evaluation methods have created significant stress among students, potentially affecting their mental health and academic futures.
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