Congress Attacks PM Modi Over Paper Leaks After Fast-Track Courts Pitch
Congress questions PM Modi’s response to paper leak issues
The Congress on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of setting up fast-track courts to deal with paper leak cases, calling the move “too little, too late and too deceptive”. The opposition party alleged that the government had failed to prevent examination irregularities and had not taken adequate responsibility for incidents affecting students over the past several years.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the Modi government of avoiding accountability over alleged paper leaks and claimed that students were demanding answers over the handling of examination-related controversies. He said the government should acknowledge the problems and take steps to restore confidence among young aspirants.
"The demands are clear: 1. Sack Mantri Pradhan. 2. Apologise to the students. 3. Take action against those who assaulted them," Ramesh said in a post on X, referring to the Congress’s demands for action against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, an apology to protesting students and accountability over alleged police action.
Ramesh said the announcement of fast-track courts could not address what he described as the government’s failure to prevent paper leaks and ensure fair investigations. He alleged that the Centre had not admitted the occurrence of paper leaks during its tenure and had instead attempted to avoid public scrutiny.
"The Pradhan Mantri's announcement of fast-track courts to punish those involved in paper leaks is too little, too late, and too deceptive," Ramesh said. He alleged that the government needed to confront questions over how examination-related issues were handled during the last 12 years.
The Congress leader also criticised the Education Ministry, claiming that previous statements made before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education had denied instances of paper leaks involving the National Testing Agency (NTA). He accused the Prime Minister and the Education Minister of misleading the public and Parliament, allegations that the government has rejected.
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The remarks come amid continuing protests by students and opposition parties over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. Protesters have raised concerns over paper leaks, transparency in the examination process and the impact of such incidents on the future of millions of candidates preparing for entrance tests.
Prime Minister Modi had recently said that protecting the future of young people was a priority for the government and announced plans to establish fast-track courts to ensure swift action against those involved in examination malpractice. The government has maintained that it is committed to strengthening the examination system and punishing those found guilty.
The political dispute over paper leaks has intensified in recent weeks, with the opposition demanding greater accountability and reforms in the examination system. The Congress has continued to target the Centre over the issue, while the government has defended its measures and promised stricter mechanisms to prevent future irregularities.
As protests continue, the debate over examination reforms and accountability remains a major political issue. Both the government and opposition are presenting different views on how best to address concerns raised by students and ensure greater trust in India’s competitive examination system.
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