Maharashtra TET paper leak: Opposition demands probe, slams Mahayuti govt
Synopsis
Maharashtra's TET exam was cancelled just 24 hours before it was due to be held, after the question paper leaked in Thane — the political stronghold of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. With Congress and NCP(SP) drawing direct links to the NEET-UG controversy and demanding a probe, the Mahayuti government now faces a two-front crisis over exam integrity that opposition leaders say reflects systemic, not accidental, failure.
Key Takeaways
The Maharashtra TET exam , scheduled for 28 June , was cancelled after the question paper leaked in Thane , a day before the test.
MPCC President Harshwardhan Sapkal warned of street protests if strict action is not taken, and accused the BJP -led Mahayuti government of chronic incompetence.
Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar called the leaks 'an outright murder of the future of hardworking students.' NCP(SP) spokesman Amol Matele alleged insider involvement and said the government had not learnt from the NEET-UG paper-leak fiasco.
Opposition parties have demanded an impartial, independent probe and warned of sustained agitation if the government fails to act decisively.
The Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper leak — which forced the cancellation of the exam just one day before it was scheduled to be held across the state on Sunday, 28 June — triggered sharp political backlash on Saturday, 27 June, with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) [NCP(SP)] jointly demanding an impartial probe into exam malpractices and slamming the BJP-led Mahayuti government for what they called a systemic failure of governance.
The leak is reported to have originated in Thane — the home constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde — adding a pointed political dimension to the controversy.
Congress Escalates Attack on Mahayuti Government
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Harshwardhan Sapkal issued a stern warning that the Congress would take to the streets if the government failed to act decisively against those responsible. He accused the BJP-led alliance of chronic incompetence, asserting that the ruling combine had been unable to conduct a single examination without a breach.
'The functioning of this government is completely riddled with loopholes and inefficiency. They lead the charts when it comes to making hollow announcements, but they cannot even manage to conduct an examination properly,' Sapkal said.
He further questioned the political nexus allegedly shielding the paper-leak network: 'Who is providing political protection to this paper-leak racket that is ruining the hard work, dreams, and future of lakhs of students?'
Sapkal argued that repeated leaks have rendered the government's claims of 'transparent governance' hollow, and that honest candidates are now forced to worry about compromised question papers rather than their own preparation. 'Paper leaks are no longer isolated administrative failures; they have become the definitive identity of this government. This is an open assault on the future of our hardworking and meritorious youth,' he added.
NEET Shadow Looms Over Maharashtra
Drawing a direct parallel to the nationwide controversy over the NEET-UG paper leak, Sapkal pointed out that Maharashtra now finds itself at the centre of two major exam-integrity crises simultaneously. He criticised Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for not resigning and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had 'not uttered a single word on this national crisis.'
'What exactly is happening in Maharashtra? The TET paper gets leaked right under the administration's nose in Thane, while the tentacles of the nationwide NEET scam are also tracing back directly to our state,' Sapkal remarked. He concluded that the ruling combine had forfeited the moral authority to govern if it could not protect the integrity of basic recruitment tests.
Congress Legislature Party Calls It 'Murder of Students' Future'
Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar used equally stark language, calling the repeated leaks 'an outright murder of the future of hardworking students who study day and night.' He accused those in power of prioritising political survival over the welfare of lakhs of aspirants and their families.
'If the government has even a shred of shame left, they should immediately put an end to this once and for all. These rulers, who trample on the hard work of students, have no moral right to sit in power,' Wadettiwar said, warning that the public would hold the government accountable.
NCP(SP) Points to Insider Involvement
Maharashtra NCP(SP) spokesman Amol Matele alleged that a paper leak of this scale could not occur without direct involvement of insiders, and that the government had failed to draw lessons from the recent NEET exam controversy. He called for a thorough investigation to identify and prosecute those within the system who enabled the breach.
What Happens Next
The TET exam, originally slated for 28 June across Maharashtra, stands cancelled pending a fresh schedule. Opposition parties have demanded an independent, time-bound probe, and have signalled they will intensify pressure if the government does not act beyond what they described as cosmetic measures. With the NEET controversy still unresolved at the national level, the political temperature around exam integrity in Maharashtra is likely to remain elevated in the coming days.
Point of View
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde's home district, gives the political charge against the Mahayuti government an uncomfortably specific geography. More significantly, the overlap with the NEET-UG controversy means the ruling alliance is now defending exam credibility on two simultaneous fronts. The Opposition's demand for an impartial probe sounds routine, but the repeated nature of these incidents raises a harder question: whether Maharashtra's exam administration machinery has been structurally compromised, or whether political will to dismantle the paper-leak ecosystem has simply been absent.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened with the Maharashtra TET paper leak?
The question paper for the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), scheduled across the state on 28 June, was leaked in Thane a day before the exam, forcing its cancellation. The incident triggered sharp criticism from the Congress and NCP(SP), who demanded an impartial probe into the BJP-led Mahayuti government's handling of exam integrity.
Why is the TET leak politically significant?
The leak reportedly originated in Thane, the home constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, giving the Opposition a pointed target. It also coincides with the nationwide controversy over the NEET-UG paper leak, which Opposition leaders say traces back to Maharashtra, compounding pressure on the ruling alliance.
What has the Congress demanded over the TET paper leak?
MPCC President Harshwardhan Sapkal has demanded strict action against those responsible and warned of street protests if the government does not act. Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar called for an immediate, permanent end to paper leaks and said those responsible have no moral right to remain in power.
Who is Amol Matele and what did he allege?
Amol Matele is the Maharashtra NCP(SP) spokesman. He alleged that a paper leak of this scale could not have occurred without direct insider involvement, and criticised the government for failing to draw lessons from the NEET-UG controversy.
What happens to students who were due to appear for the TET exam?
The TET exam stands cancelled pending a fresh schedule. No revised date has been announced yet. Opposition leaders have warned of sustained agitation until the government announces a credible, time-bound resolution and holds the perpetrators accountable.
