Rahul Gandhi demands Modi sack Education Minister over NEET UG 2026 controversy

Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, demanded on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi either sack Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan immediately or take personal accountability over the NEET UG 2026 exam controversy. Gandhi’s remarks came as the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Undergraduate, held on May 3, remained cancelled following allegations of irregularities in the examination process.

In a video statement, Gandhi said the NEET question paper was being distributed on WhatsApp two days before the test and criticized Pradhan for responding that he had no role in the matter. He also called on the prime minister to order punitive action against those he said were responsible and alleged a broader “nexus” between political and institutional actors behind India’s education system. Gandhi said the disruption has affected the preparation of about 22 lakh candidates.

The day’s statements followed the government’s decision to conduct a fresh NEET UG exam. On Friday, Pradhan announced that the reexamination would be held on June 21. He also said the medical entrance exam would be computer-based from next year as...