Mumbai, June 29 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Monday slammed the Maharashtra government over the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) paper leak in Bhiwandi, saying that the state’s education system has become rotten, and, despite such heinous crimes, absolutely no one faces punishment, allowing the blatant business of paper leaks to thrive openly.

“States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were once notorious for mass cheating and government-sponsored copying. Maharashtra has gone a step further. This new trade of government-sponsored ‘paper leaks’ is running in full swing. What else can one expect from those who plunder the donation boxes of the Ram Mandir?” the party said in an editorial in ‘Saamana’.

Launching a scathing editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, the SS(UBT) claimed that Maharashtra has emerged as the primary epicentre of the current mockery of education and students’ futures in the country. With Devendra Fadnavis serving as the Home Minister, this ruinous state of affairs seems to be a trivial matter in his eyes. The roots of last month’s NEET paper leak were traced back to Maharashtra, and now, the TET paper has been leaked. This is a public degradation of Maharashtra’s educational apparatus, it said.

“This is not just an isolated incident; it is a dark chronicle of the failure and corruption of the ruling Mahayuti government. It reflects a monstrous labyrinth born out of corruption and a sheer betrayal of the younger generation’s future. Such incidents, which tarnish the prestige of Maharashtra, are happening repeatedly. The state that historically laid the foundation for education and social reform in India is now being forced to witness its daily decline. It is as if progressive Maharashtra is being systematically dismantled,” said the editorial.

The editorial further stated that in today’s political climate, ‘paper leaks’ have become as normalised as the defection of MLAs and MPs. “Defecting legislators reportedly receive 50 crores each, while paper leaks destroy the futures of millions of youth. Given the gravity of the situation, Maharashtra’s Education Minister has no right to remain in his post for even a single day,” it argued.

Furthermore, the editorial remarked that CM Devendra Fadnavis has failed adequately in his capacity as the Home Minister. “The Home Department is being heavily utilised for political gains and to benefit the BJP. Maharashtra desperately needs a full-time Home Minister. If Fadnavis cannot do justice to the portfolio, he should voluntarily step down; but one wonders if such political morality is left among Maharashtra’s ruling elite,” said the editorial.

According to the editorial, half of the state’s police force is currently deployed to guard defected MLAs and MPs. “The Home Minister seemingly considers the security of political turncoats far more important than the security of examination papers. The authorities have rendered students so helpless and vulnerable that they are left with no recourse. They are treated as if they can be easily crushed and disregarded. Consequently, even when TET exam papers are leaked, and exams are cancelled, these candidates can do nothing but sigh in despair,” commented the editorial.

The Thackeray camp said that the TET is not just an ordinary exam; it is the fundamental stepping stone to becoming a qualified teacher. Yet, scams and malpractices have plagued the very selection process of educators who are supposed to shape the future generation. This serves as shocking evidence of how terribly Maharashtra’s future has fallen into the hands of organised mafias.

The editorial alleged that this is a “well-entrenched racket consisting of the paper leak mafia, intermediary brokers, and corrupt officials”.

“Such papers cannot leak 24 hours before an exam and circulate freely on social media without strong backing from the ruling dispensation. The chain behind the NEET paper leak shares links with the BJP, and those responsible for the TET leak belong to the same political ecosystem. The government now merely buys time under the pretext of conducting an ‘investigation,” it said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that the gang involved in the NEET case was active across Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Latur, and Nashik, while Bhiwandi has emerged at the centre of the TET scam.

“Can Home Minister Fadnavis answer why cases of paper leaks are repeatedly concentrated in Maharashtra?” it asked.

“This is not merely an administrative failure; it is a calculated conspiracy to steal the dreams, hopes, and aspirations of the youth. While Prime Minister Modi sells new dreams to the younger generation during his foreign travels, the political machinery remains more invested in engineered political defections than in safeguarding the nation’s academic integrity,” noted the Thackeray camp.

The editorial claimed that the entire education system of Maharashtra stands deeply compromised. “Despite the scale of these offences, the lack of accountability ensures that the illicit trade of paper leaks operates without fear,” it said.

“Maharashtra has, unfortunately, outpaced states historically criticised for mass cheating, establishing a systemic crisis of institutionalised leaks. When those at the helm fail to protect basic institutional integrity, the youth are left to pay the ultimate price,” it concluded.

–IANS

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