New Delhi

Govind Singh Dotasra-led Congress workers staged a protest march in Jaipur on Thursday over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, targeting the BJP and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The protest march proceeded from the Congress State Office towards the BJP headquarters, with several senior leaders, including Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully, MLAs and MPs participating. Police used water cannons to disperse protesters near the BJP office as tensions escalated.

Addressing demonstrators, Dotasra alleged that Rahul Gandhi had raised concerns in Parliament in 2024 about irregularities in the NEET examination process.

“In 2024, Rahul Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha that NEET papers are being stolen and the future of lakhs of children is being compromised. These people did not hold a discussion because they themselves were the paper thieves,” Dotasra alleged, adding that the Congress would intensify its demand for Pradhan’s resignation.

Jully also attacked the Centre, accusing the BJP of protecting “paper leak mafias” instead of taking action against those responsible. He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue and alleged involvement of BJP office-bearers in the controversy.

The protests come amid heightened political tensions after NEET-UG 2026 was cancelled on May 12 following allegations of a coordinated paper leak. The examination, conducted on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 abroad, had over 22 lakh candidates appearing for it.

The Union Education Ministry has announced strengthened security measures for the re-examination scheduled on June 21 and indicated that NEET-UG would shift to a computer-based test format from next year to prevent irregularities.

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Meanwhile, a parliamentary standing committee headed by senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has also begun scrutinising the controversy and examining recurring examination-related irregularities affecting students nationwide.