NEET re-exam row: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge rejects traffic delay claims
Synopsis
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge confirmed that three students missed the NEET re-exam in Bengaluru but flatly rejected BJP claims that a state government event was to blame — pointing out that 720 students appeared at one centre alone and that one absentee arrived with an old hall ticket. His counter-attack, invoking 90 alleged paper leaks and 22 lakh affected students nationally, reframes a local traffic row as a referendum on a decade of exam mismanagement.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on 22 June rejected Opposition claims that a state event caused NEET re-exam absences in Bengaluru .
Only three students missed the exam; one carried an old hall ticket, one travelled from Magadi , and one from RT Nagar .
At RG College alone, 720 students appeared while about 120 were absent.
Kharge alleged examination papers had reportedly leaked on nearly 90 occasions over the past decade, affecting around 22 lakh students .
He cited similar student absences in BJP-governed Delhi , Parel , and Dombivli to challenge the Opposition's logic.
NEET guidelines require candidates to arrive at least two-and-a-half hours before the exam, with gates opening at 11 AM .
Karnataka Minister for Home Priyank Kharge on Monday, 22 June pushed back sharply against Opposition allegations that a state government event in Bengaluru caused students to miss the NEET re-examination, asking how thousands of other candidates managed to reach their centres on time despite the same conditions. His remarks came a day after the much-anticipated re-test was held at multiple centres across the city.
What Happened at the NEET Re-Exam
Thousands of students appeared for the NEET re-examination on Sunday at centres across Bengaluru. A section of the Opposition alleged that traffic restrictions linked to a mega event organised by the state leadership prevented some candidates from reaching their centres before the gates closed. Kharge confirmed that three students were ultimately unable to write the exam but disputed that the government event bore responsibility.
'It is true that three students could not take the exam. One of them was travelling from neighbouring town Magadi. Was the Congress rally held in Magadi? Another student reportedly came with an old hall ticket. The third student was travelling from RT Nagar,' Kharge told reporters in Bengaluru.
Kharge Turns the Tables on BJP
Kharge rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) criticism, arguing the party lacked the moral standing to raise concerns about students. He pointed to the national NEET paper-leak controversy, alleging that examination papers had reportedly leaked on nearly 90 occasions over the past decade, affecting around 22 lakh students.
'We do not need lessons from the BJP. If they are genuinely concerned about students, they should apologise to them. Over the last 10 years, around 22 lakh students have been affected and examination papers have reportedly leaked on nearly 90 occasions. Let them first apologise for that,' he said.
Standard Operating Procedures Cited
The minister pointed to NEET's own guidelines, which state that examination centre gates open at 11 AM and candidates must report at least two-and-a-half hours before the exam. He noted that at RG College alone, around 720 students appeared for the examination while about 120 were absent, questioning why those who attended faced no difficulties if traffic was truly impassable.
'The standard operating procedures are very clear. Candidates are informed well in advance that they must reach the examination centre at least two-and-a-half hours before the exam,' he said.
Broader Political Context
Kharge broadened the argument by citing similar incidents in BJP-governed states, noting that students reportedly missed examinations in Delhi and in Mumbai's Parel and Dombivli areas as well. He asked whether BJP-led administrations in those cities bore responsibility by the same logic.
He also referenced a court-imposed fine of ₹9 lakh on railway authorities in Uttar Pradesh for delays, questioning why Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan — the latter in the wake of the NEET question-paper leak controversy — had not resigned over their respective lapses.
'If they want to do politics, they should do it logically and responsibly,' Kharge said, adding that meaningful debate was possible only when grounded in facts and reason. As the NEET controversy continues to reverberate nationally, the Karnataka government's response signals that the political battle over the exam's integrity is far from over.
Point of View
Not just deflect. The broader invocation of national paper-leak figures is a valid counter-punch, but it risks normalising a 'whataboutery' pattern that lets both the Centre and states avoid accountability on exam integrity. The NEET crisis has exposed systemic failures at multiple levels; reducing it to a partisan exchange serves neither the students nor the credibility of India's most consequential entrance examination.
NationPress
22 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did students miss the NEET re-exam in Bengaluru due to a government event?
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge confirmed that three students missed the NEET re-examination in Bengaluru but rejected claims that a state government event was responsible. He noted that one student came with an old hall ticket and another travelled from Magadi, where no state event was held.
How many students appeared for the NEET re-exam at Bengaluru centres?
Thousands of students appeared across Bengaluru centres on Sunday. At RG College alone, around 720 students sat the exam while about 120 were absent, according to Kharge.
What are NEET's reporting time guidelines for candidates?
NEET guidelines specify that examination centre gates open at 11 AM and candidates must report at least two-and-a-half hours before the scheduled exam time. Kharge cited these rules to argue that students had adequate notice to plan their travel.
Why did Kharge invoke the national NEET paper-leak controversy?
Kharge challenged the BJP's moral authority to criticise the Karnataka government by alleging that examination papers had reportedly leaked on nearly 90 occasions over the past decade, affecting around 22 lakh students nationally. He called on the BJP to apologise before raising concerns about exam disruptions.
Were students in other states also affected by NEET re-exam disruptions?
Kharge claimed that students reportedly missed examinations in Delhi and in Mumbai's Parel and Dombivli areas as well, questioning whether BJP-led governments in those cities should similarly be held responsible by the Opposition's logic.
