AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday, 17 June 2026 accused the Modi government of lacking the political will to end paper leaks in competitive examinations, alleging that the multi-billion-rupee racket funds the purchase of legislators and that cosmetic security measures will not dismantle it.

Context

Posting on X, Kejriwal wrote: 'मोदी सरकार की पेपर लीक रोकने की नीयत ही नहीं है' ('The Modi government has no intention of stopping paper leaks'). He cited two specific steps reportedly taken by the government — transporting question papers via military aircraft and blocking the messaging platform Telegram — and dismissed both as ineffective. 'Will paper leaks stop because of these steps? Absolutely not,' he wrote.

Kejriwal further alleged that the paper-leak business is worth 'billions' and that money flows 'all the way to the top,' adding: 'If paper leaks are stopped, where will the money come from to buy MLAs and MPs?'

Policy backdrop

The accusations come in the wake of a string of high-profile examination scandals, most notably the NEET and UGC-NET paper-leak controversies of 2024, which triggered nationwide protests by students and drew intense parliamentary scrutiny. In response, the central government enacted the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which prescribes harsher penalties and mandates tighter logistics for the printing, storage, and distribution of question papers.

Implementing agencies such as the National Testing Agency (NTA) have since been under pressure to demonstrate systemic reform. The government's reported measures — including stricter digital protocols and secure physical transport — were positioned as part of this reform drive.

Stakeholders and impact

Millions of aspirants preparing for competitive examinations — from central government recruitment tests to medical and engineering entrance exams — are the primary stakeholders. A single paper leak can invalidate months of preparation and delay careers, disproportionately affecting students from economically weaker backgrounds who cannot afford repeated attempts.

Opposition parties, including AAP, have consistently framed paper leaks as a governance failure intertwined with political corruption, a narrative that resonates with a large youth electorate. Kejriwal's post explicitly links the leak economy to the financing of political horse-trading, a charge that carries significant electoral weight.

What's next

The monsoon session of Parliament is expected to see renewed scrutiny of the NTA and the implementation of the 2024 Act, with opposition members likely to press for a special investigation or a joint parliamentary committee. Any fresh leak incident before or during the session could sharpen the political confrontation further.

Kejriwal's intervention signals that AAP intends to keep examination integrity at the forefront of its national campaign, particularly as the party seeks to consolidate its identity as a governance-focused alternative ahead of upcoming state and general elections.