New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi leading the Opposition’s charge on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, raised serious concerns over the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) while questioning the seriousness and intent of government in punishing the culprits.

Partaking in the discussion, Cong MP Gaurav Gogoi termed the proposed amendments an “eyewash” while recalling that the original legislation cleared two years failed to act as ‘deterrence’ against paper leaks, despite the government trumpeting it as a historic step.

Gogoi claimed that the government was not serious in addressing the issue of paper leaks and said that it wasn’t willing to bring about any meaningful change in addressing the loopholes of examination system.

Questioning the progress of the NEET-UG paper leak investigation, citing a newspaper report, he claimed that 44 of the 45 people chargesheeted in the case are currently out on bail.

“After listening to the statements made by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, it is clear that the government is not serious about reforming the education sector. This Bill is merely an amendment and appears to be more of a symbolic exercise than a genuine effort at reform,” he said.

The Congress MP recalled that when the original Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act was introduced in 2024, the government had described it as a landmark step to eliminate paper leaks and improve the integrity of public examinations.

“At that time, there was widespread concern among students and parents regarding examinations such as NEET and UGC-related tests. The government assured the country that major reforms would be introduced and that paper leaks would become a thing of the past. However, those promises have not been fulfilled,” he said.

Referring to the investigation into the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case, Gogoi questioned the effectiveness of the law and the government’s commitment to ensuring accountability.

“I want to draw attention to the current status of the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak investigation. A newspaper report published in 2026 stated that out of the 45 accused in the case, 44 have been granted bail. This reflects the seriousness with which the government has handled the matter and its concern for students,” he said.

He further alleged that the main accused in the case had evaded arrest for an extended period.

“The alleged mastermind, Sanjiv Mukhiya, remained absconding for 11 months before being arrested. The government was unable to apprehend him during that period. Subsequently, he too secured bail,” Gogoi claimed.

Congress MP, slamming the laxity by authorities, said that the incidents of paper leaks have continued even after enactment of 2024 law.

“Despite introducing a stringent law, major paper leak incidents were reported again in 2025. If the law was truly effective, how did such large-scale irregularities occur within just two years?” he asked.

He also criticised former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging that the government initially denied the existence of paper leaks when the controversy emerged in 2024.

“When the issue first surfaced, the then Education Minister repeatedly maintained that no paper leak had occurred. Even for months afterward, the government continued to deny the problem,” Gogoi said.

He also objected to Pradhan’s felicitation outside the Parliament, after his resignation as the Education Minister.

“When the former minister returned to Parliament after resigning, the welcome accorded to him made it seem as though he had returned after a major national victory. That was painful to witness,” he remarked.

He also questioned the effectiveness of various committees constituted by the government to examine examination reforms.

“The Prime Minister often refers to high-powered committees and reform initiatives. However, if those measures were effective, why did these paper leak incidents continue to occur?” he asked.

A significant portion of Gogoi’s speech focused on the National Testing Agency. He sought clarification regarding recent personnel changes within the organisation.

“We recently learned that 47 individuals in the NTA were replaced. I want the government to explain who these 47 people were,” he said.

According to Gogoi, the sanctioned strength of the NTA did not appear to match the number of individuals reportedly affected by the changes.

“The sanctioned capacity of the NTA is only 34. If that is the case, who are these 47 individuals? Were they outsourced personnel? We want complete transparency and details regarding these appointments and changes,” he said.

He further questioned why only certain officials were replaced while others continued in their positions.

“The Director General of the NTA was changed, and subsequently the Education Minister resigned. However, why was the Chairman of the NTA not replaced? We want an answer to that question as well,” Gogoi said.

The Congress MP also made allegations regarding the background of the NTA Chairman and called for scrutiny of his previous assignments.

“He has been associated with public service institutions in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where paper leak controversies had also surfaced. Despite repeated controversies and the tragic consequences faced by students, he continues in his position. The government should explain why,” he said.

–IANS

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