29 May,2026 02:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray. File Pic
Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut on Friday criticised the Centre over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination and the CBSE evaluation process, claiming the controversies have exposed serious shortcomings in the country's education administration.
In separate statements, the two leaders demanded accountability from the Union Education Ministry and called for structural reforms to restore public confidence in national-level examinations.
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut strongly criticised reports that the Centre is considering using the Indian Air Force (IAF) to transport question papers for the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled on June 21.
According to PTI, the proposal was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
No final decision has been taken yet, and the proposal is expected to be placed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for consideration.
Reacting to the development, Raut argued that involving the armed forces in examination logistics reflected a failure of governance.
"The armed forces are meant to protect the country's borders, not cover up the incompetence of the National Testing Agency and the Education Ministry," Raut said.
He alleged that repeated paper leak controversies had undermined students' trust in the examination system.
Raut claimed that instead of addressing the root causes of examination irregularities, the government was relying on temporary measures.
"This is a shameful admission of governance failure. After years of NEET paper leaks destroying the dreams of lakhs of students, the government now wants the Air Force to transport question papers," he said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader questioned why the Defence Ministry needed to become involved in managing examination-related logistics.
"Why should the Defence Minister have to chair meetings with the Education Minister for basic exam logistics? This only exposes the incompetence of the NTA and the Education Ministry," he alleged.
Raut demanded strict action against those responsible for paper leaks and called for comprehensive reforms to ensure transparency and credibility in the examination system.
"Students deserve real accountability," he added.
Former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray also criticised the Centre, linking the NEET controversy with concerns surrounding the CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) process.
In a statement, he said the issues had damaged the credibility of India's education system and negatively impacted students.
"The absolute chaos in these examinations shows the inefficiency of those managing the boards and the HRD Ministry in conducting these exams," Thackeray said.
He argued that the controversies had affected not only students and their families but also India's reputation as a country known for producing skilled and hardworking professionals.
According to Thackeray, repeated controversies surrounding national examinations risk undermining global confidence in Indian educational qualifications.
Thackeray called for accountability at the highest levels of the education system.
He said there could be no meaningful justice for students unless action was taken against officials responsible for the alleged lapses.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader demanded the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and officials associated with the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) who were responsible for conducting examinations.
He also sought strict action against those allegedly involved in the NEET-UG paper leak case and the alleged mishandling of the CBSE evaluation process.
"Unless the strictest possible action is taken against those involved in the NEET paper leak and the mishandling of CBSE's On-Screen Marking process, there is no point promising a developed India by 2047," Thackeray said.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate), commonly known as NEET-UG, was conducted on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 overseas centres.
Nearly 23 lakh candidates had registered for the examination, which is conducted by the National Testing Agency for admission to undergraduate medical courses.
On May 12, the NTA cancelled the examination following allegations of a question paper leak.
A fresh examination has been scheduled for June 21.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is continuing its probe into the alleged leak.
Investigators have conducted searches at multiple locations across the country, and 13 people have been arrested so far from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, Latur and Ahilyanagar.
(With inputs from PTI)
