The Congress party has announced a major protest in Sambalpur, Odisha, the Lok Sabha constituency of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, on June 10 over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak controversy. The demonstration will be led by senior Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar and aims to intensify pressure on the Centre to take responsibility for what the opposition describes as a serious failure in the examination system.
Announcing the agitation, Bhakta Charan Das said the party would demand Pradhan's resignation, alleging that multiple examination-related controversies have surfaced during his tenure as Education Minister. According to Congress leaders, lakhs of students have been affected by the alleged leak and subsequent uncertainty surrounding the country's largest medical entrance examination.
The protest comes amid nationwide outrage over the NEET-UG 2026 controversy. The original examination held on May 3 was cancelled following allegations that question papers had been leaked and circulated in several states. The government later ordered a re-examination, scheduled for June 21, while investigative agencies continue to probe the matter.
Congress leaders have accused the BJP-led government of failing to safeguard the integrity of national-level examinations. They argue that repeated incidents of exam irregularities have eroded public confidence in the system and jeopardized the future of millions of students. The party has vowed to continue peaceful protests until action is taken and stronger safeguards are implemented.
Meanwhile, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has strengthened security arrangements for the re-examination. Authorities have placed question-paper setters under strict isolation, deployed multi-layer monitoring systems, and involved the Indian Air Force in transporting question papers. The NTA has also warned against misinformation and maintained that it is committed to ensuring a transparent and secure examination process.
The controversy has triggered protests by student groups and political organizations in several parts of the country, with demands ranging from a comprehensive investigation to structural reforms in the conduct of competitive examinations. As the June 21 re-exam approaches, the Sambalpur protest is expected to become a key political flashpoint in the ongoing debate over examination integrity and accountability.
