PM Modi in video message: ‘Bill against paper leaks to be introduced in Parliament, passed as early as possible’
Students' protest: PM Modi said several strong steps had been taken since allegations of the NEET paper leak surfaced about two-and-a-half months ago.
- Jul 24, 2026,
- Updated Jul 24, 2026 9:04 AM IST
Students' protest: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the government will introduce a bill in Parliament next week with provisions for strong action against paper leaks. He said the proposed law would first be discussed by the Union Cabinet on Friday and then brought to Parliament on Monday, when the second week of the Monsoon session begins.
In a video message, Modi said, "The cabinet will discuss the issue of paper leaks on Friday and taking suggestions of the cabinet colleagues, further action would be finalised." He added, "On Monday, when the second week of the Monsoon session of Parliament will begin, a bill will be brought with provisions for strong action against paper leaks and we will try to pass it as early as possible."
The prime minister said paper leaks were not a small issue and were extremely painful for lakhs of students and their guardians. He said several strong steps had been taken since allegations of the NEET paper leak surfaced about two-and-a-half months ago. "The guilty have been caught. They are now in jail. Our most significant responsibility was to ensure that the students do not lose a year. It was necessary to hold the examination immediately. By using all resources, the government has ensured that 22 lakhs students could attend the retest," he said.
Modi said the fast-track courts have already been established.
The announcement drew a sharp response from the Congress on Friday. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the prime minister had finally broken his silence after two months but had failed to address accountability, student protests and the police action against protesters. He said the Modi government had long denied that the NEET-UG 2026 exam was leaked and accused the Education Ministry of refusing to acknowledge the leak before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education.
Ramesh said students no longer had faith in the Modi government because it had prioritised political calculations over student interest. He claimed the government had buried evidence of irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam despite suspicious clustering of toppers in some test centres. He added that the government acknowledged a "selective leak" in Hazaribagh but failed to bring justice to the perpetrators.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised Modi, saying he had sidestepped the issue of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and called the video message a "pathetic midnight video" that insulted students' intelligence.
Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his indefinite hunger strike after the government assured him that his demands would be met. Wangchuk said Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram around Thursday midnight and conveyed the government's assurances. He posted on X that he broke his fast after 26 days in the presence of the ministers and senior leaders of the Apex Body of Leh Ladakh.
Students' protest: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the government will introduce a bill in Parliament next week with provisions for strong action against paper leaks. He said the proposed law would first be discussed by the Union Cabinet on Friday and then brought to Parliament on Monday, when the second week of the Monsoon session begins.
In a video message, Modi said, "The cabinet will discuss the issue of paper leaks on Friday and taking suggestions of the cabinet colleagues, further action would be finalised." He added, "On Monday, when the second week of the Monsoon session of Parliament will begin, a bill will be brought with provisions for strong action against paper leaks and we will try to pass it as early as possible."
The prime minister said paper leaks were not a small issue and were extremely painful for lakhs of students and their guardians. He said several strong steps had been taken since allegations of the NEET paper leak surfaced about two-and-a-half months ago. "The guilty have been caught. They are now in jail. Our most significant responsibility was to ensure that the students do not lose a year. It was necessary to hold the examination immediately. By using all resources, the government has ensured that 22 lakhs students could attend the retest," he said.
Modi said the fast-track courts have already been established.
The announcement drew a sharp response from the Congress on Friday. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the prime minister had finally broken his silence after two months but had failed to address accountability, student protests and the police action against protesters. He said the Modi government had long denied that the NEET-UG 2026 exam was leaked and accused the Education Ministry of refusing to acknowledge the leak before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education.
Ramesh said students no longer had faith in the Modi government because it had prioritised political calculations over student interest. He claimed the government had buried evidence of irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam despite suspicious clustering of toppers in some test centres. He added that the government acknowledged a "selective leak" in Hazaribagh but failed to bring justice to the perpetrators.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised Modi, saying he had sidestepped the issue of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and called the video message a "pathetic midnight video" that insulted students' intelligence.
Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his indefinite hunger strike after the government assured him that his demands would be met. Wangchuk said Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram around Thursday midnight and conveyed the government's assurances. He posted on X that he broke his fast after 26 days in the presence of the ministers and senior leaders of the Apex Body of Leh Ladakh.