Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey has accused a section of students appearing for the NEET examination of using the alleged paper leak as an excuse to justify their poor performance before
their parents, even as he backed the Centre’s move to bring in stricter laws against those responsible for examination irregularities.
While speaking to reporters during the Parliament Monsoon session, the BJP MP said that students have been using the paper leak as an excuse to convince their parents that they are studying hard. He said that students aspiring to become doctors, engineers or civil servants should focus on their studies instead of gathering at Jantar Mantar, where a Cockroach Janta Party-led protest against the alleged NEET paper leak is underway.
“All parents want to send their children to top institutions believing they excel in studies, but some children want to use paper leaks as an excuse trying to convince their parents that they are very good at studies but cannot compete solely because the paper gets leaked,” he said.
#WATCH | Delhi: On PM Modi’s tweet on setting up fast-track courts to ensure stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey says, “The PM clearly said that top lawyers will be hired against the 13 arrested people, and they should be given the… pic.twitter.com/AvVuaUfsYL
— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2026
Referring to the large number of candidates appearing for the medical entrance examination every year, Dubey claimed that many students are trying to attribute their failure to the alleged paper leak.
“There are around 65,000 medical seats, but about 22 lakh students appear in the examination every year. Every parent believes that their child is bright and academically capable.
He said that parents should encourage their children to prepare for competitive examinations rather than join protests.
“This creates a sense of disappointment among them. Parents and students need to understand that Jantar Mantar is not the place for them. If they want to get into a medical college, an engineering college or the civil services, they must focus on their studies,” Dubey said.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that the government is committed to ensuring stringent punishment for those responsible for the alleged paper leak.
The BJP MP also welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to introduce stricter legislation against paper leaks and said the government was committed to ensuring the harshest punishment for those involved. He claimed the Prime Minister had assured BJP MPs that top lawyers would be engaged to prosecute the 13 people arrested in connection with the case.
Students from across the country and activists of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an online satirical collective, have been protesting at Jantar Mantar and others parts of Central Delhi demanding accountability for repeated examination paper leaks and also seeking resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after what he described as “long negotiations” and concerns over the possibility of violence in the country.
Wangchuk broke his fast shortly after midnight on Thursday at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, Haryana. Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh were present as he ended the fast, with his wife, Gitanjali, by his side.
Meanwhile, the government is believed to have introduced significantly tougher legal provisions against organised paper leak syndicates, including a mandatory three-month timeline for investigation and trial, legal backing for special fast-track courts, and stricter penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 crore, sources told CNN-News18.
The new provisions are aimed at dismantling organised paper leak mafias operating across states and ensuring swift justice in cases involving public examination fraud.
(With inputs from agencies)
