Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has rejected allegations of examination paper leaks under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, asserting that not a single recruitment or competitive examination paper has leaked during the party's four-and-a-half years in office. His remarks came amid mounting political attacks following the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Addressing the issue, Mann acknowledged that there had been attempts by some individuals to cheat during examinations, but maintained that these incidents were promptly detected and prevented by the authorities. He said the Punjab government has acted firmly against malpractice and has ensured that recruitment examinations remain transparent and fair.
The BJP has intensified its criticism, demanding the resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. BJP leaders alleged that the AAP government cannot claim a clean record and accused it of failing to address concerns over alleged examination irregularities. The party argued that the same standards of accountability applied at the Centre should also apply in Punjab.
Apart from the BJP, the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal have also sought accountability from the Punjab government over alleged examination-related issues. However, Mann dismissed the opposition's allegations as politically motivated and reiterated that his administration has maintained the integrity of the state's recruitment process since assuming office in 2022.
The controversy has emerged against the backdrop of the nationwide debate over examination reforms and paper leaks. With the Centre moving ahead with stricter anti-paper leak legislation in Parliament, the issue has become a major political flashpoint, with both the ruling AAP in Punjab and the BJP accusing each other over their handling of examination transparency and accountability.
