"Take moral responsibility, step down": KC Venugopal demands Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over NEET exam row

Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], May 17 (ANI): Launching a sharp attack on the Central government over the NEET exam cancellation amid allegations of paper leak, Congress MP KC Venugopal on Saturday demanded the immediate resignation of the Union Education Minister, accusing the government of playing with students' futures and failing to secure the examination system.
Speaking to ANI, Venugopal claimed that paper leaks have been a recurring issue under the current administration, stating, "This is not the first time the NEET question paper has been leaked. So many question papers have been leaked. This government is an expert in paper leaks. They are playing with the future of the students of this country. We need a foolproof system, but they are not working on it. All of this has happened due to the failure of the Education Minister. He must take moral responsibility and step down from his post immediately."
The NEET-UG exam has been mired in controversy, sparking nationwide protests from students and opposition political parties demanding a fair probe and systemic reforms to maintain the integrity of competitive examinations.
Meanwhile, investigating the paper leak, which led to the cancellation of the exam held on May 3, the Central Bureau of Investigation said it has identified and arrested the kingpin involved in the case.
According to the CBI, the accused, identified as PV Kulkarni, is a Chemistry lecturer associated with the examination process on behalf of the National Testing Agency and allegedly had access to the NEET-UG 2026 question papers.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale acknowledged the gravity of the situation, admitting that the scam is deeply entrenched across state lines.
"Paper leak cases keep coming up repeatedly, and in this one, the name of PV Kulkarni, who has connections to Maharashtra, has surfaced... Educated people are turning out to be responsible in these cases... People connected to paper leak cases are being arrested across the country, which shows that its network is spread throughout the nation," he told ANI.
Calling for stringent measures, he added, "Whether it's the NEET exam or any other exam, there should be no errors in it... There is a need to make policies in this direction... Those responsible for paper leaks should face strict punishment. That is our demand."
As investigations zeroed in on PV Kulkarni, Dayanand Science College, which was earlier associated with him, distanced itself from his actions.
Clarified that Kulkarni's association with the institution had ended years ago, he said, "PV Kulkarni was a chemistry teacher and he retired from here four years ago... There is no connection between him and our college. What he did, where he lived, we don't know anything... If someone makes a mistake, then whatever punishment you give him, we have no problem with it."
CBI has said that its investigation revealed that during the last week of April 2026, Kulkarni, along with another accused, Manisha Waghmare, organised special coaching classes for selected students at his residence in Pune. Waghmare was arrested by the CBI on May 14.
"During these coaching sessions, he dictated questions along with options and correct answers. The questions handwritten by students in their notebooks exactly matched the actual Chemistry paper of the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026," the CBI said.
Meanwhile, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) members held a protest outside the office of the National Testing Agency following the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
The NSUI members carried a lock and chain symbolising the shutting down of NTA, held placards and raised slogans criticising NTA, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the irregularities and calling for justice for the aspirants. Accusing the Centre and NTA of incompetence, they demanded a ban on the agency and the resignation of the Education Minister amid the ongoing probe in the case.
Several of these protestors were detained by the police after a scuffle broke out with the protesting members.
The re-examination will be conducted on June 21. As a corrective measure, the Education Minister has announced that the NEET-UG exam will be held via CBT mode from next year. (ANI)