Union Minister Prahlad Joshi on Thursday, 23 July questioned Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his alleged silence on irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), while accusing the Opposition of politicising the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) controversy. Joshi made the remarks while addressing reporters in Delhi.

The KPSC Charge Against Rahul Gandhi

Joshi, who holds the portfolio of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, asked why Gandhi had not spoken out on the KPSC issue in Karnataka, where the Indian National Congress (Congress) is in power. 'Rahul Gandhi has been vocal about NEET. Why has he remained silent on the KPSC issue in Karnataka? Why did he not support KPSC aspirants and students when they protested in the state? This exposes the Opposition's double standards,' Joshi said.

The minister claimed that Karnataka has approximately 2.7 lakh vacant government posts and alleged corruption against the KPSC chairman. He further alleged that students and aspirants who protested in the state were subjected to a lathi-charge.

Centre's Stand on the NEET Debate

Joshi maintained that the Centre is ready for an open, fact-based discussion on NEET in Parliament, and urged Opposition parties to participate in the interest of students. 'The Centre is ready for a constructive and factual discussion on the NEET controversy in Parliament. Several Opposition leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav, have agreed to such a discussion. However, it is not taking place because of the ego of one individual,' he alleged.

Defending the government's response to the NEET paper leak, Joshi said the examination was cancelled immediately upon learning of the alleged irregularity, and a re-examination was subsequently conducted transparently. He noted that 14 people have already been arrested in connection with the case, and that the government has enacted stringent laws providing for up to 10 years' imprisonment and heavy financial penalties for examination-related malpractices.

Past Governments Cited, Congress Quotes Invoked

Joshi also pointed to alleged question paper leaks during previous state governments, claiming that Rajasthan witnessed 19 such incidents during the tenure of former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. He further noted that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had previously acknowledged the difficulty in preventing examination paper leaks despite best efforts — a remark Joshi appeared to use to undercut the Opposition's criticism of the Centre.

Medical Seats and Education Reforms

Highlighting what he described as reforms under the Narendra Modi government since 2014, Joshi said the number of medical seats has increased nearly threefold from around 51,000, and the number of AIIMS institutions has expanded significantly. He reiterated the Centre's commitment to structural reforms in the examination system wherever necessary. This comes amid sustained political pressure over NEET, with Parliament sessions repeatedly disrupted by Opposition protests on the issue.