NEET-UG 2026 cancelled: Sharmila asks Modi to take responsibility for ‘paper leak network’

Andhra Pradesh Congress president Y.S. Sharmila on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) criticised the Centre over the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination following reports of a question paper leak and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had once again failed to ensure the fair conduct of national-level examinations. “Repeated incidents of paper leaks in States such as Gujarat, Bihar and Rajasthan reflect a growing ‘paper leak network’ under BJP rule,” she posted on X.

Ms. Sharmila accused the National Testing Agency (NTA) of failing to safeguard the integrity of the examination process, alleging that the agency had become an institution where question papers were “auctioned”. She alleged that the leakage of 122 questions nearly 48 hours before the examination exposed serious lapses in the Centre’s examination management system and raised questions about the government’s commitment to conducting entrance tests transparently.

Describing the cancellation of the examination as “deeply shameful”, the State Congress chief said the development had pushed the future of nearly 22 lakh students across the country into uncertainty and caused severe mental distress to parents and aspirants. She argued that students spent months preparing day and night for highly competitive examinations like NEET, and that merely asking them to appear for a re-examination after such lapses was unjust.

Ms. Sharmila alleged that repeated incidents of paper leaks and re-examinations during the BJP’s tenure reflected a systemic failure in the conduct of public examinations. Holding the Prime Minister morally accountable for the latest controversy, she demanded greater transparency, accountability and stronger safeguards to prevent future leaks.