Rajya Sabha adjourned amid NEET paper leak uproar, no business transacted
Synopsis
The Rajya Sabha was completely paralysed on 22 July as Opposition parties refused to let the House function without a structured debate on the NEET paper leak. With the Congress demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and the government accusing the Opposition of shifting goalposts, the monsoon session's legislative agenda is now in serious jeopardy.
Key Takeaways
Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on 22 July without transacting any significant listed business.
Opposition parties disrupted proceedings throughout the day over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before any discussion.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of shifting goalposts and reiterated the government's readiness to debate NEET.
DMK MP Tiruchi Siva contested the Deputy Chairman's 'rarest of rare' threshold for invoking Rule 267 .
The deadlock has now continued across multiple days, threatening the productivity of the entire monsoon session.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday, 22 July after the Upper House failed to transact any significant listed business, paralysed throughout the session by sustained Opposition protests over the NEET paper leak controversy. Apart from the tabling of a few papers, the monsoon session's legislative agenda remained entirely stalled.
Key Developments on the Floor
When the House reassembled at 3 pm following repeated breaks, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Tiruchi Siva argued that the prevailing situation in the country constituted a 'rare occasion' that warranted immediate parliamentary discussion. His remarks were a direct counter to Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh's earlier position that Rule 267 — which allows suspension of listed business for urgent matters — should be invoked only on the 'rarest of rare' occasions.
The Deputy Chairman then permitted Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to address the House. Rijiju accused the Indian National Congress (Congress) of shifting goalposts, noting that the party had initially sought a discussion but that Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was now attaching fresh conditions to any such debate. Rijiju appealed to senior members to help restore order, reiterating that the government had been willing from the outset to discuss the NEET paper leak or any other issue.
Kharge's Counter and the Final Adjournment
Kharge pushed back sharply on the Deputy Chairman's 'rarest of rare' framing, asking what could be rarer than the government's reported crackdown on student protesters. Amid continued sloganeering and uproar from the Opposition benches, Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh adjourned the House for the day.
Earlier in the Session
When the House first assembled at 2 pm, Leader of the House J.P. Nadda had expressed the government's willingness to debate any matter, including the NEET controversy, while accusing the Opposition of disrespecting the House through continuous protests. Kharge responded by demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a precondition for a fair discussion.
Impact on the Monsoon Session
The NEET paper leak deadlock has now stretched across multiple days of the ongoing monsoon session, with the Opposition pressing for accountability and a structured debate while the government insists on adherence to parliamentary procedure. The repeated disruptions have stalled important legislative work, and the continued impasse is likely to weigh on the Rajya Sabha's productivity in the days ahead.
Point of View
The government citing procedural norms to avoid a structured accountability debate. What is notable here is the Opposition's escalation: demanding a minister's resignation as a precondition for discussion is a high-stakes gambit that effectively makes resolution harder, not easier. The government's repeated insistence on 'readiness to discuss' without conceding any ground on format or accountability mechanism is equally performative. The students whose futures were disrupted by the alleged leak deserve more than a procedural standoff. The monsoon session's legislative calendar is being consumed by a crisis that neither side appears genuinely motivated to resolve on the floor of the House.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Rajya Sabha adjourned on 22 July 2024?
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned on 22 July because sustained Opposition protests over the NEET paper leak prevented any significant business from being transacted. The House saw repeated breaks throughout the day before the Deputy Chairman adjourned it entirely.
What is the NEET paper leak controversy?
The NEET paper leak refers to allegations that the question paper for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) was leaked ahead of the examination, compromising its integrity and affecting lakhs of medical aspirants. The issue has triggered widespread student protests and political demands for accountability.
What did the Opposition demand in the Rajya Sabha?
The Opposition, led by Congress's Mallikarjun Kharge, demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a precondition for a fair discussion on the NEET paper leak. Opposition members also sought invocation of Rule 267 to suspend listed business and take up the matter immediately.
What is Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha?
Rule 267 allows a member of the Rajya Sabha to move for the suspension of the listed business of the day to take up a matter of urgent public importance. Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh had stated it should be used only on the 'rarest of rare' occasions, which the Opposition contested.
What was the government's position on the NEET debate?
Both Leader of the House J.P. Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the government was willing to discuss the NEET paper leak and any other issue. They accused the Opposition of disrupting proceedings and shifting conditions, and appealed for the House to function normally.
