Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre after NEET cancellation triggers nationwide anger among students

The cancellation of the NEET 2026 examination on Tuesday drew a fierce attack from the Congress, with senior party leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the BJP-led Centre of destroying the aspirations of more than 2.2 million students through what he termed a “corrupt system” riddled with leaks and institutional failure.

‎In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi said the scrapping of the country’s premier medical entrance examination exposed “paper leaks, government negligence and organised corruption in education,” calling it “a crime against the future of the youth.”

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‎“The hard work, sacrifice, and dreams of more than 2.2 million students have been crushed by this corrupt BJP-backed system,” Gandhi wrote, referring to the enormous financial and emotional investment made by families whose children appeared for the examination. “Some fathers took loans, some mothers sold their jewellery, and millions of students stayed awake night after night studying,” he added.

‎The Congress MP alleged that repeated examination leaks had become a recurring pattern under the present dispensation, asserting that “every time, the paper leak mafia escapes, while honest students are made to suffer.” According to him, the cancellation would once again push lakhs of students into “mental stress, financial burden and uncertainty.”

‎NEET, the nationwide entrance examination for undergraduate medical admissions, has repeatedly come under scrutiny over allegations of paper leaks, irregularities and administrative lapses in recent years.

The latest controversy erupted after reports of an alleged leak of the NEET 2026 question paper surfaced online shortly before the examination, triggering widespread outrage and demands from students and opposition parties for a fresh test.

‎The controversy has further intensified criticism of the government’s management of high-stakes competitive examinations, especially amid previous allegations of irregularities in recruitment and entrance tests conducted across the country.

‎Questioning the credibility of the education system, Gandhi said merit had been undermined by corruption and influence. “If one’s destiny is decided not by hard work, but by money and influence, then what meaning does education have left?” he asked.

‎Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said the government’s much-publicised “Amrit Kaal” had effectively turned into a “Vish Kaal” for the country’s youth.