Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday, 24 July 2026, posted on X that activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his hunger strike after the central government reiterated its commitment to addressing the NEET paper leak controversy and assured strict action against those responsible.

In his post, Singh stated that Union Ministers JP Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh met Sonam Wangchuk and conveyed the government's position, assuring him that action against the guilty and reforms in the examination system would be pursued with full commitment. He wrote: 'केंद्रीय मंत्री श्री JP Nadda जी और डॉ. Jitendra Singh जी ने सोनम वांगचुक जी से भेंट कर सरकार का पक्ष रखा' ('Union Ministers JP Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh met Sonam Wangchuk and presented the government's position').

Context

The NEET paper leak controversy erupted following allegations of irregularities in the 2024 NEET-UG examination, the national entrance test for undergraduate medical admissions in India. The controversy triggered widespread protests from medical aspirants and demands for systemic reform in how high-stakes competitive examinations are conducted. Sonam Wangchuk, the Ladakhi engineer and activist widely recognised for his educational and environmental initiatives, had undertaken a hunger strike to press for accountability.

Singh noted in his post that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation's youth late the previous night, reiterating the government's clear resolve on the matter. 'माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी ने भी देश के युवाओं को संबोधित करते हुए इस विषय पर सरकार का स्पष्ट संकल्प दोहराया' ('The honourable Prime Minister also addressed the country's youth and reiterated the government's clear resolve on this issue'), Singh wrote.

Policy Backdrop

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is the sole gateway for admission to undergraduate medical programmes across India, making its integrity critical for lakhs of aspirants each year. Following the 2024 leak allegations, the central government ordered investigations and faced sustained pressure from students, parents, and opposition parties to overhaul the examination framework.

These developments have unfolded alongside the broader implementation of the National Education Policy 2020, which envisions structural changes in testing and evaluation. The government has repeatedly emphasised zero tolerance for malpractice in national examinations, framing accountability in this case as consistent with that stance.

Stakeholders and Impact

At the centre of this episode are medical aspirants — lakhs of students whose futures hinge on the credibility of NEET results. Any perceived compromise in examination integrity directly affects their prospects and public trust in the admissions process. Wangchuk's fast drew significant attention to the issue, elevating it beyond a policy dispute into a question of moral accountability.

The government's decision to deploy senior ministers — JP Nadda, a veteran BJP leader, and Dr Jitendra Singh, who handles the Science and Technology and Personnel portfolios — to meet Wangchuk signals the political weight attached to resolving this standoff. Singh's post frames Wangchuk's decision to end his fast as a direct outcome of trust in the Prime Minister's leadership.

What's Next

Parliamentary debates and potential legislative proposals to strengthen examination integrity remain closely watched. Any official report on actions taken against those implicated in the leak will be a key test of the assurances conveyed to Wangchuk. The government's credibility on examination reform will be measured against concrete outcomes — prosecutions, systemic changes, and whether future NEET cycles proceed without controversy.

For the broader student community, the resolution of this episode may set a precedent for how the government responds when civil society voices raise accountability concerns about institutions that shape the futures of India's youth.