"He stopped the Russia-Ukraine war but could not stop paper leaks in India": Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over the NEET controversy and UGC-NET cancellation

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the controversies surrounding the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam and alleged paper leaks in various other entrance examinations like NEET. The Rae Bareli MP's remarks come amid widespread concerns about the integrity of India's education system owing to allegations of exam paper leaks.

"It was said that Modi ji stopped the Russia-Ukraine war. But for some reason, Narendra Modi has not been able to stop or doesn't want to stop paper leaks in India," said Rahul Gandhi speaking at a press conference, questioning the government's competence and commitment to addressing rampant paper leaks across the country.

He went further to allege that the recurring incidents of paper leaks are indicative of broader issues within the Indian education system. "Until this capture is reversed, paper leaks will continue. Modi ji has facilitated this capture. It is an anti-national activity," Gandhi stated.

The UGC-NET exam, overseen by the National Testing Agency (NTA), was cancelled by the Ministry of Education on Wednesday citing compromised exam integrity. According to reports, the Ministry's decision followed concerns flagged by the National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit regarding anomalies observed at specific exam venues. However, the exact nature of the compromise was not detailed in the Ministry's statement.

Gandhi criticized the government's response to these issues, suggesting that Prime Minister Modi's focus seemed diverted. "He is more concerned about his government and the Speaker's election... The PM has psychologically collapsed, and running a government like this will be a struggle for him," Gandhi remarked.

Accusing the BJP of exerting undue influence over educational institutions, Gandhi alleged, "Our Vice-Chancellors are appointed not on merit, but because they belong to a particular organization. This organization, along with the BJP, has infiltrated our education system and ruined it." He further drew parallels between the impact of demonetization on the economy and the current state of the education system, asserting that those responsible for the current situation must be held accountable and punished.

In response to the Union Education Minister's exoneration of the NTA in the NEET-UG row, Gandhi dismissed the credibility of such statements, stating, "Their credibility is zero. Everybody knows that the epicenters are Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh." The Congress leader asserted that his party would raise these pressing issues in Parliament, underscoring the urgency of addressing systemic flaws within India's education framework.​