Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union education minister over the NEET paper leak controversy has reopened the political battle over exam irregularities in Punjab, where the Opposition is now demanding the resignations of Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and Health Minister Balbir Singh.

The BJP, Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have all used Pradhan’s exit to argue that the AAP government in Punjab should also face accountability if paper leak allegations are serious enough to force a minister to step down at the center.

They are also holding the health minister responsible for what they describe as repeated exam-related irregularities in the state, including the pharmacy officer recruitment test.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, however, has rejected the charge outright and said no examination paper has been leaked in the state during the AAP’s tenure.

Also Read | Kashmir’s Chinar Book Festival packs in readers, NBT chief hails ‘organic audience base’

The opposition scents an opening

The renewed attack began after the BJP accused the Punjab government of repeated lapses in examinations and recruitment tests.

In the latest round of criticism, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari asked when the Punjab education minister would resign, while party leaders cited alleged paper leaks in the PSEB Class 12 English board exam, Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), Agriculture Development Officer exam, PSSSB recruitment exercises, Naib Tehsildar recruitment, and pharmacy officer tests.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also said Pradhan’s resignation showed the need for similar accountability in Punjab, and the Shiromani Akali Dal backed the same line of attack by alleging multiple leaks over recent years.

Ravneet Singh Bittu, too, demanded Bains’ resignation and accused the state government of failing to protect the integrity of exam processes.

The government’s stout defence

Mann pushed back strongly against the allegations, saying his government had acted against cheating gangs adding that the reported incidents did not amount to paper leaks.

He said there had been no paper leak in Punjab in the past four and a half years and pointed out that cheating attempts were reported at two examination centers, where 21 people were arrested.

AAP also dismissed the Opposition’s allegations as “fake news,” while Mann maintained that the state had responded quickly wherever cheating was detected.

The chief minister’s remarks were made after the Opposition linked the Punjab row to Pradhan’s resignation and tried to frame the Centre’s move as a benchmark for similar action in the state.

The political temperature continues to rise

The issue has now become a wider political contest over who should be held responsible for exam irregularities and whether allegations of cheating should be treated as proof of a leak.

For the Opposition, Pradhan’s resignation has become a key issue in its call for action in Punjab. For the AAP, the resignation is being used to argue that the government has already acted against cheating and that the Opposition is stretching isolated incidents into a larger scandal.

With Bains and Balbir Singh both under pressure, the row is likely to remain a live political flashpoint as the parties trade accusations over the state’s examination system.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi raises pellet gun allegations, questions Amit Shah’s role in student protest crackdown

FAQs

Q1: Why are Opposition parties demanding Harjot Singh Bains’ resignation?

Opposition parties say alleged exam paper leaks in Punjab warrant ministerial accountability, citing Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET controversy.

Q2: What has Bhagwant Mann said about the Punjab paper leak allegations?

Bhagwant Mann has denied any paper leaks under the AAP government, saying authorities acted against cheating incidents but no exam papers were leaked.