The Punjab Legislative Assembly on Monday, 3 July unanimously passed a resolution holding the Centre accountable for repeated examination scandals, paper leaks, and institutional failures that have undermined the prospects of millions of students and job aspirants across the country. The resolution was moved by Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema.

What the Resolution Demands

The resolution condemns more than 70 major examination scandals, digital remote-access hacks, and recruitment scams recorded over the past decade. It calls for the complete restructuring and decentralisation of testing bodies such as the National Testing Agency (NTA), exemplary action against paper leak syndicates, and the immediate withdrawal of criminal proceedings against peaceful student protesters.

Cheema also urged that the resolution be formally transmitted to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Union Ministry of Education, and the Prime Minister's Office.

Key Allegations Raised in the House

Speaking during the debate, Cheema alleged that systemic corruption and repeated paper leaks in high-stakes examinations — including NEET — had broken the morale of young aspirants. He cited that more than 2.50 lakh students stayed away from the NEET re-examination, reportedly out of despair over the perceived compromise of merit.

Cheema also alleged that student protesters raising democratic appeals had faced responses involving shock batons, pellet guns, tear gas, and AK-47 assault rifles. He further claimed that individuals including minors, schoolgirls, and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk had been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita instead of receiving justice.

Punjab Government's Counter-Narrative

Cheema drew a contrast between what he described as Centre-backed corruption and the record of the Punjab government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He said the state had provided nearly 70,000 government jobs purely on merit and restored Scheduled Caste scholarships, enabling more than 50,000 marginalised students to pursue education without financial barriers.

The minister argued that the contrast between Punjab and BJP-ruled states was evident, and that the youth's collective awakening had forced the ruling dispensation at the Centre to respond to public pressure.

Political Context

The resolution comes amid a nationwide controversy over the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak and broader questions about the integrity of centrally administered competitive examinations. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government has been among the most vocal state administrations demanding federal accountability on the issue. This is the latest in a series of state legislative interventions on examination integrity — reflecting a growing pattern of opposition-ruled states using assembly resolutions to formally register dissent with the Centre on education policy.

The resolution's passage marks a formal escalation of Punjab's position, with the state legislature now on record demanding structural reform of the NTA and accountability for what it calls a decade-long failure.