Punjab paper leak: BJP's Dhillon slams Mann govt, alleges jobs sold for ₹13 lakh
Synopsis
Punjab BJP chief Kewal Dhillon has accused the AAP government of sitting on two simultaneous recruitment scandals — a PSSSB Group-B paper leak affecting one lakh aspirants and a Faridkot pharmacy cheating racket where jobs were allegedly sold for up to ₹13 lakh. Six months in, no arrests. The BJP is now demanding ministerial resignations and drawing a pointed contrast with the Centre's NEET crackdown.
Key Takeaways
Punjab BJP President Kewal Dhillon on Friday accused the AAP government of incompetence and corruption over two recruitment scandals.
The PSSSB Group-B paper leak has left nearly one lakh aspirants in limbo, with no conclusion to the investigation even after six months .
In the Faridkot Pharmacy Officer recruitment scam, candidates were allegedly charged between ₹3.5 lakh and ₹13 lakh , with pen cameras and Bluetooth devices used to cheat.
Dhillon demanded the immediate resignation of both the Health Minister and Education Minister .
The BJP cited the Centre's NEET response — CBI inquiry, 13 arrests , fast-track courts — as a contrast to Punjab's inaction.
Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Kewal Dhillon on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state, accusing it of incompetence, corruption, and jeopardising the futures of nearly one lakh job aspirants. Dhillon's remarks centred on two separate recruitment scandals — a paper leak in the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB) Group-B examination and a high-tech cheating racket uncovered during the recruitment of Pharmacy Officers in Faridkot.
The PSSSB Paper Leak: Six Months, No Answers
The PSSSB Group-B recruitment examination, conducted for appointments across various state government departments, was compromised by a paper leak, according to Dhillon. He alleged that even after six months, the investigation has failed to reach any logical conclusion. Dhillon described this prolonged inaction as evidence of the government's corruption and gross administrative failure, adding that nearly one lakh aspirants have been left in limbo as a result.
Pharmacy Recruitment Scam: Jobs Allegedly Sold for Up to ₹13 Lakh
Referring to the cheating scandal surrounding the Pharmacy Officer recruitment in Faridkot, Dhillon alleged that government jobs were virtually being sold, with candidates reportedly charged between ₹3.5 lakh and ₹13 lakh. He said pen cameras and Bluetooth devices were allegedly used inside examination centres to facilitate cheating. The absence of signal jammers at these centres, he argued, exposed the government's failure to ensure a fair and secure examination process.
BJP Targets AAP's 'Honesty' Claim
Dhillon questioned why AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and the Punjab government — which, he said, frequently claim to uphold 'staunch honesty' — have remained silent on both scandals. He demanded the immediate resignation of both the Health Minister and the Education Minister, stating that the government's dishonesty 'stands exposed before the people.' He added that Punjabis are 'ready to teach this government a lesson for compromising the future of the state's youth.'
Centre's NEET Response Cited as Contrast
Drawing a contrast with the AAP-led Punjab government's handling of the recruitment scandals, Dhillon highlighted the Central government's response to the NEET paper leak case under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Centre ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry, which led to the arrest of 13 accused. He added that fast-track courts have been established for swift punishment, and legislation is being introduced in Parliament to impose stringent penalties in examination fraud cases.
What Comes Next
The BJP's escalation signals that recruitment fraud is likely to become a central political flashpoint ahead of future electoral cycles in Punjab. With no arrests reported in either the PSSSB paper leak or the Faridkot pharmacy cheating case as of the BJP's statement, pressure on the Mann government to act — or explain its inaction — is set to intensify.
Point of View
Six months of silence, and zero arrests — the Mann government's handling of the PSSSB paper leak and the Faridkot pharmacy cheating case is a political liability that the BJP is now weaponising with some precision. The 'staunch honesty' brand that AAP built its Punjab mandate on is being stress-tested by the very issue — government jobs — that defines aspiration for lakhs of families in the state. The contrast with the Centre's NEET response, however politically convenient for the BJP, does raise a legitimate accountability question: why has the Punjab government not publicly named suspects or set a timeline for closure? Recruitment fraud has a compounding effect — every unresolved case erodes trust in the next examination, and Punjab's youth unemployment numbers leave little room for that kind of institutional damage.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PSSSB Group-B paper leak case in Punjab?
The Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB) Group-B recruitment examination, held for appointments across state government departments, was compromised by a paper leak. According to BJP leader Kewal Dhillon, the investigation has not reached any conclusion even after six months, leaving nearly one lakh aspirants uncertain about their futures.
What happened in the Faridkot Pharmacy Officer recruitment scam?
A high-tech cheating racket was uncovered during the recruitment of Pharmacy Officers in Faridkot, Punjab. Candidates were allegedly charged between ₹3.5 lakh and ₹13 lakh, with pen cameras and Bluetooth devices used inside examination centres. The BJP alleges the absence of signal jammers at venues enabled the fraud.
What has the Punjab government said about these recruitment scandals?
As of the BJP's statement on Friday, the AAP-led Punjab government has not publicly responded to Dhillon's allegations. BJP chief Kewal Dhillon accused both AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and the state government of maintaining 'complete silence' on the matters.
Why is the BJP comparing Punjab's paper leak to the NEET case?
The BJP is drawing a contrast to argue that the Centre acted decisively in the NEET paper leak case — ordering a CBI investigation, securing 13 arrests, establishing fast-track courts, and introducing legislation in Parliament — while the Punjab government has taken no comparable action in either of its two recruitment fraud cases.
Who has the BJP demanded should resign over the Punjab recruitment scandals?
Punjab BJP President Kewal Dhillon has demanded the immediate resignation of both the Health Minister and the Education Minister of the AAP government in Punjab, holding them accountable for the failures in the pharmacy recruitment process and the broader examination administration.
