PM overseeing Re-NEET 2026, resignation should follow if paper leak occurs again: Digvijaya Singh

New Delhi: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is so miffed with the failures of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that he has taken all responsibilities upon himself and if there is a leak in the NEET-UG retest, the PM's resignation would have to be demanded.

Singh, who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, referred to the solicitor general's remarks in court a few days ago and said the PM has taken responsibility to ensure that the NEET-UG re-exam takes place successfully on June 21.

Speaking with PTI, Singh said, "I have been a part of the legislative (processes) since 1977. I want to clearly state that it is instruction of the Chairman Rajya Sabha, that we don't have the right to speak about the decisions and deliberations in the Standing Committee till the time the report is presented in Parliament as a case of breach of privilege can be filed." His remarks came after a meeting of the committee he chairs.

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Asked about media reports that he expressed confidence in the PM over the NEET issue during the meeting, Singh said, "It has come in the public domain that the PM is so miffed with the failures of Dharmendra Pradhan, that he has taken up all the responsibilities himself. Hence, he is accountable. We hope that it will be done properly, if a leak still happens, then we would have to ask for the PM's resignation."

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Hitting out at the government, Singh said no action has been taken over the paper leaks. "Has the PM not taken responsibility to ensure that NEET paper takes place successfully on June 21? He has taken. So we expect that under his watch, paper leak will not happen. If the paper is leaked under his watch then till now we were asking for Pradhan's resignation, but then we would have to ask for the resignation of PM," he said.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also dismissed reports that Singh expressed confidence in PM Modi over the NEET issue during the committee meeting. "The Standing Committee on Education has given no clean chit to the Prime Minister or his 'system' and Shri Digvijaya Singh did not express his confidence in them. One English-language media report is spreading mischievous news based on sources whose agenda is only to mislead," Ramesh said on X.

"Mr. Digvijaya Singh noted that we have been informed by the Solicitor General that the Prime Minister is monitoring the NEET re-exam personally. For the sake of our students, we must believe that the exam will be held successfully," he said.

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It is impossible for any reasonable mind to have any faith in the PM and his 'system', Ramesh claimed. "This 'system' botched up the investigation in the 2024 NEET-UG paper leak. This 'system' continues to deny that the NEET-UG 2026 paper was leaked, when the truth is evident to all. This 'system' has not only wrecked administration of exams in higher education, but has done so in CBSE as well," he said.

"The Modi Government and its Education 'system' - thoroughly discredited and exposed as incompetent, corrupt, and arrogant - is now relying on out-of-context quotes, rumours, and fake news," the Congress leader said.

The Congress leaders' remarks come days after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the apex court that the government is seriously concerned about the concerns of the youths and Prime Minister Modi is personally supervising the situation so that "there is no lacunae". "Some new mechanisms are also put in place for the June 21 examination. It may not be appropriate to divulge what is there, otherwise the very purpose will be frustrated. It is being monitored at the highest possible executive level," Mehta had said. "The prime minister personally is supervising this so that there is no lacunae," he had said.