Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, on Friday, 29 May 2026, directly accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of personally supervising the leak of the NEET question paper, escalating the opposition's long-running attack on the central government over irregularities in the national medical entrance examination.

Context

Gandhi's post, shared on X, stated plainly: 'PM Modi also personally supervised the NEET paper leak.' The unqualified accusation marks a significant sharpening of opposition rhetoric, moving from institutional criticism of the National Testing Agency (NTA) to a direct charge against the Prime Minister himself. Gandhi, who represents Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha, has consistently used parliamentary and social media platforms to press the government on education governance failures.

The claim comes without supporting documentation in the post itself. The research background flags this specific assertion — that the Prime Minister personally supervised the leak — as unverified from available public record.

Policy Backdrop

NEET-UG, established as the single nationwide medical entrance test following Supreme Court directions in 2016, is conducted annually by the NTA, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education. Allegations of question paper leaks and widespread irregularities in the 2024 edition of the examination triggered a CBI investigation and sparked large-scale student protests across the country.

The controversy prompted intense parliamentary scrutiny of the NTA's processes and renewed calls for structural reform of centralised testing. Opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress, have framed the lapses as evidence of systemic failure under the current administration's watch.

Stakeholders and Impact

At the centre of the dispute are lakhs of medical aspirants who appear for NEET-UG each year, for whom a compromised examination directly affects career prospects and access to undergraduate medical seats. State education boards and state governments — several of which had previously opposed the centralisation of medical admissions — have cited the irregularities to renew arguments for decentralisation.

Gandhi's accusation, if it gains traction, could intensify pressure on the Education Ministry and the office of the Prime Minister to respond publicly. The BJP-led government has not yet issued a formal response to this specific charge.

What's Next

The CBI probe into the 2024 NEET irregularities remains ongoing, and any findings are expected to shape the political and legal narrative around examination reform. Parliamentary proceedings in the upcoming monsoon session are likely to see the opposition press the government on NTA reforms and ministerial accountability.

Gandhi's escalation to a direct charge against the Prime Minister suggests the Congress intends to keep examination integrity as a front-line issue heading into the session, testing whether the government will engage on specifics or maintain its current posture.