Naveen Patnaik slams NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, BJD demands Pradhan's resignation
Synopsis
NEET-UG 2026 has been cancelled — again. With the NTA scrapping the 3 May exam over alleged irregularities, BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has called it a betrayal of 22 lakh students and his party is demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, reigniting the debate over systemic failures in India's high-stakes examination infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
NTA cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 exam, conducted on 3 May 2026 , citing inputs from central agencies over alleged irregularities.
Naveen Patnaik , BJD chief and Odisha Leader of Opposition, called the cancellation a betrayal of lakhs of aspirants on social media platform X.
The BJD alleged that NEET has been cancelled four times in six years under BJP governance.
The party demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on moral grounds.
An estimated 22 lakh students are affected; a fresh examination date is yet to be announced by the NTA.
Odisha Leader of Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday, 12 May condemned the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination following reports of a paper leak, calling it a betrayal of lakhs of medical aspirants who had devoted months to preparation. The National Testing Agency (NTA) had on the same day scrapped the exam — conducted on 3 May — and announced a re-examination on dates yet to be notified.
Patnaik's Remarks on the Paper Leak
Taking to his official account on social media platform X, Patnaik wrote:
Point of View
Given Pradhan's Odisha roots and the state's upcoming political dynamics, but it also reflects a genuine accountability vacuum. What is striking is that despite the 2024 NEET scandal triggering parliamentary scrutiny and promises of NTA reform, the system has evidently not been hardened sufficiently. The real question is not who resigns, but whether India will finally build examination infrastructure — decentralised, digitally proctored, with verifiable chain-of-custody for question papers — that matches the scale and stakes of its medical admissions process.
NationPress
5 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was NEET-UG 2026 cancelled?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination, held on 3 May 2026, after receiving inputs from central agencies and law enforcement authorities regarding alleged irregularities, including reports of a paper leak. A re-examination date is yet to be announced.
What did Naveen Patnaik say about the NEET paper leak?
BJD chief Naveen Patnaik called the cancellation a betrayal of lakhs of aspirants who had sacrificed comforts and devoted sleepless nights to preparation. In a post on X, he demanded swift accountability and called for restoring integrity in the examination process.
Why is the BJD demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation?
The BJD is demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation on moral grounds, alleging that the Central government has been playing with the future of 22 lakh students and that exam cancellations due to paper leaks have become routine under BJP rule.
How many times has NEET been cancelled in recent years?
According to the BJD, the NEET examination has been cancelled four times in the last six years. The most high-profile previous cancellation involved the NEET-UG 2024 controversy, which triggered nationwide protests over alleged paper leaks and irregularities.
How many students are affected by the NEET-UG 2026 cancellation?
An estimated 22 lakh students who appeared for the NEET-UG 2026 exam on 3 May 2026 are directly affected. They must now wait for the NTA to announce a fresh examination date, creating uncertainty for medical college admissions for the 2026-27 academic session.
