Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday criticised the Centre over an alleged examination paper leak in Odisha and said stronger punishments and fast-track courts alone would not be enough to address corruption in the education system. His remarks came after reports that a postgraduate medical examination question paper was allegedly circulated on WhatsApp while the exam was underway. Ramesh claimed that another paper leak had emerged from Odisha, the home state of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Taking to social media platform X, the Congress general secretary said the government needed to engage in a wider discussion on issues affecting the education sector rather than relying only on legal measures. "The Congress' consistent stance -- in 2024 and now in 2026 -- has been that merely mandating stronger punishments for paper leaks or designating courts as 'fast-track' is not sufficient," Ramesh said in his post. He added that there was a need for a broader conversation on the alleged commercialisation and corruption in the education system.

Ramesh also criticised the government’s approach, accusing it of passing what he described as "eyewash legislation" related to fast-track special courts, while referring to the alleged examination breach in Odisha. According to officials, photographs of a question paper from the All Odisha Medical PG Examination were allegedly found circulating on a social media platform on July 27, while a theory examination for postgraduate students of the 2023-26 batch was in progress. The matter has raised concerns over examination security and the effectiveness of existing safeguards. The alleged incident comes amid continued political debate over examination irregularities, including the controversy surrounding the NEET-UG paper leak.

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Opposition parties have repeatedly targeted the Union government, demanding stronger action and greater accountability in the conduct of competitive examinations. The government has previously introduced measures aimed at preventing unfair practices in public examinations, including provisions for stricter penalties and mechanisms for investigation. However, opposition leaders have argued that enforcement and institutional reforms are equally important to prevent such incidents. Ramesh said that the concerns raised by students during protests should be acknowledged and addressed. He argued that examination security requires more than legal provisions and called for reforms aimed at tackling systemic issues within the education sector.

The Odisha University of Health Sciences examination authorities and officials are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged circulation of the question paper. Further details regarding the investigation and action taken are awaited. The controversy has added to the ongoing political confrontation between the Congress and the ruling BJP over education policy, examination reforms and allegations of administrative failures. While the Opposition has demanded stronger accountability, the government has maintained that steps are being taken to strengthen examination systems and prevent malpractice.

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