NEET-UG Row: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Congress over the NEET-UG exam 2026, accusing Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of misleading
aspirants and creating fear among young students for political reasons.
While speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, the Union Minister targeted the Lok Sabha LOP and said that he created a sense of fear and panic among aspirants for his own political benefits. He warned the opposition to not do politics on issues related to students.
“Opposition and Rahul Gandhi should not do politics. Rahul Gandhi tried to create fear in the minds of the youth. Rahul Gandhi misled the NEET aspirants. Don’t mislead and put fear in the minds of the new generation. We all have a responsibility towards them,” he said.
“I don’t want to indulge in politics when the matter concerns the future of the students, but the opposition’s decision to hold a rally in Kota just days before the examination was not appropriate,” he added.
Responding to the opposition’s attacks on the Centre for using the armed forces during the exam, Pradhan said, “What is the problem if the Indian Air Force and CAPF were used for the youth of India?”
Pradhan also targeted the Congress by referring to an incident in which some students allegedly faced difficulties reaching their examination centre because of a rally addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
“Three students could not reach their NEET examination because of Kharge’s rally. He later apologised to them. How can the Congress lecture us on this issue?” the minister asked.
The Union Minister also commented on the ongoing “Cockroach Janta Party movement”, saying everyone had the right to express their views but questioned the political forces backing the campaign.
“Everybody has the right to put forward their point of view. But we must ask who is behind such movements. The Cockroach Janata Party is Rahul Gandhi’s B-team,” Pradhan said.
Pradhan Says NEET Re-Exam Conducted Successfully
He further defended the government’s handling of the medical entrance re-examination and said that extensive measures were taken to ensure a smooth and transparent process. Pradhan said that the government had acknowledged lapses in the past and taken corrective steps to strengthen the examination system.
“We accept there were lapses on our side and we corrected them. We had put in place a multilayered system. Some people in Bihar tried to sabotage the system, but they were arrested,” he said.
Pradhan further emphasised that the government remained committed to cracking down on examination-related fraud and paper leak networks.
“We will take stricter action against the paper mafia. Fast-track courts have been set up to expedite trials in such cases,” he said.
Defending the conduct of the recently held re-examination, the Union Minister described the task as a major logistical challenge that had been successfully managed with the cooperation of states and various agencies.
“NEET was a great challenge which we overcame successfully. All states contributed significantly in conducting the examination smoothly. The Prime Minister entrusted us with this responsibility and we fulfilled it,” he said.
He further said special arrangements were made by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for differently-abled students who were unable to reach their centres.
He appealed to students and parents to maintain confidence in the examination system.
“My message to NEET aspirants and their families is to remain positive and trust the country’s institutions. This government is sensitive towards the youth and will do everything possible to secure their future,” Pradhan said.
NEET Exam 2026
The NEET-UG re-examination took place on Sunday from 2 pm to 5:15 pm in pen-and-paper mode. The re-exam follows the cancellation of the May 3 test over alleged paper leaks.
In a statement, the National Testing Agency (NTA) said more than 20 lakh candidates appeared for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination across 5,440 centres in India and 14 centres abroad. The exam was conducted in 13 languages, including Hindi and English.
The agency said Aadhaar-based biometric and face authentication, CCTV surveillance, jammers and two-layer frisking with the support of state police were deployed at examination centres.
