“Paper Mafia Escapes, Honest Students Suffer…” : Rahul Gandhi Slams Centre Over 2026 NEET Cancellation

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a swipe at the Union Government following the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination, accusing the BJP-led government of destroying the future of lakhs of students through what he described as “organised corruption” in the education system. 

Reacting to the decision to scrap the medical entrance examination, Gandhi said the cancellation had shattered the sacrifices and aspirations of more than 22 lakh students and their families. “The NEET 2026 exam has been cancelled. The hard work, sacrifices and dreams of more than 22 lakh students have been crushed by this corrupt BJP regime,” Gandhi said.

He alleged that families across the country had made enormous financial and emotional sacrifices to help students prepare for one of India’s most competitive examinations. “Some fathers took loans, some mothers sold their jewellery, lakhs of children stayed awake through the night studying, and in return they got paper leaks, government negligence and organised corruption in education,” the Congress leader said.

Calling the controversy “a crime against the future of the youth”, Gandhi accused the government of repeatedly failing to act against examination mafias while honest students continued to suffer. “Every time, the paper mafia escapes unpunished while sincere students bear the punishment,” he said. The Congress MP further claimed that the cancellation would once again force students into another cycle of uncertainty, mental stress and financial burden. “Now lakhs of students will once again go through the same anxiety, economic pressure and uncertainty,” Gandhi stated.

Questioning the credibility of the system, he added, “If destiny is decided not by hard work but by money and connections, then what meaning will education have left?” In a sharp political attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said the government’s much-publicised “Amrit Kaal” narrative had become a “poison era” for the country’s youth.

The remarks came shortly after the National Testing Agency announced the cancellation of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026 examination conducted on May 3.

According to the NTA, the decision was taken after reviewing information received from central agencies and findings shared by law enforcement authorities regarding alleged irregularities linked to the examination. “The National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified later,” the agency said in an official statement.

The Centre has also referred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive investigation into the allegations. “The Government of India has further decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations therein,” the NTA stated.

NEET UG 2026 was conducted across 551 Indian cities and 14 international centres at more than 5,400 examination venues. Nearly 22.79 lakh candidates had registered for the examination, making it one of the world’s largest entrance tests. The provisional answer key had been released on May 6, and many aspirants had already begun preparing for the counselling and admission process before the sudden cancellation announcement.

The NTA said extensive arrangements had been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination, including the deployment of over 6,000 observers and more than two lakh personnel across centres. Despite these measures, concerns over the integrity of the examination process ultimately led to the decision to hold the examination again.

Acknowledging the distress caused to students and families, the agency said preserving public trust in the national examination system was the primary reason behind the move. “The Agency is conscious that re-conduct will cause real and significant inconvenience to candidates and their families. NTA does not take that consequence lightly,” the agency said in a post on X. “The decision has been taken because the alternative would have caused greater and more lasting damage to that trust,” it added. Fresh dates for the re-examination are expected to be announced soon.