New Delhi: Following widespread protests over the NEET paper leak scandal, the central government has rolled out seven major decisions in the last 24 hours to address the crisis. These include the dismissal of 47 National Testing Agency officials, the introduction of stricter laws with heavy penalties, and successful mediation to end a hunger strike that activist Sonam Wangchuk sustained for 26 days.
Wangchuk broke his fast at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram late at night after receiving written assurances from Union Ministers JP Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh. He had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since June 28 in solidarity with the student driven Cockroach movement. The government officially agreed that no police cases will be registered against peaceful student demonstrators. Authorities also assured that the ongoing Monsoon Session will feature official discussions on exam anomalies and testing reforms. Furthermore, the centre promised to consider financial compensation for families of students who lost their lives to suicide due to the controversy.
Taking a tough stance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a video message assuring zero tolerance. He directed the immediate creation of dedicated fast track courts to ensure swift punishment for the syndicate leaders behind the leak. The Union Cabinet also approved legislative reforms to tighten the Public Examination Act. Under the new provisions, individuals or institutions found guilty of orchestrating exam leaks will face up to 10 years in prison and fines reaching 10 crore rupees.
The education ministry has initiated a massive administrative cleanup. Alongside the immediate termination of 47 testing agency officials who may also face criminal charges, the government replaced Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi with Naresh Pal Gangwar. An independent expert committee is being formed to revamp the digital infrastructure and data security protocols of the testing agency.
Despite these sweeping measures, political and public unrest continues. The Cockroach Janata Party has held two rounds of talks with the government and scheduled a third meeting for Saturday. However, they are threatening another Parliament march if talks fail. Both the protesters and opposition leaders remain adamant about the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The opposition has continuously disrupted parliamentary proceedings for five days, demanding accountability and an apology.
Previously, the Central Bureau of Investigation formed a Special Investigation Team and arrested 13 suspects linked to the paper leak network. Authorities successfully reconducted the medical entrance exams, published the results on schedule, and initiated the admission process for students.