'Modi also personally supervised NEET leak': Rahul Gandhi's dig at PM ignites row

New Delhi: A political war of words erupted on Friday after the Centre told the Supreme Court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally overseeing concerns related to the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination following the paper leak controversy.

The statement triggered a sarcastic response from Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who claimed that if the Prime Minister was personally supervising the investigation, he must also have supervised the paper leak itself.

What happened in the Supreme Court?

During a hearing related to the ongoing NEET-UG paper leak investigation, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court that Prime Minister Modi was personally monitoring issues connected to the examination's cancellation.

The submission came after the apex court sought details from the government regarding the investigation process and the methodology being used to reach conclusions in the probe.

The examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency on May 3, was cancelled on May 12 after allegations of a paper leak emerged.

The investigation is currently being handled by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Rahul Gandhi's swipe

Reacting to reports of the court proceedings, Rahul Gandhi posted a brief but pointed remark on social media.

"PM Modi also personally supervised the NEET paper leak," he said.

The Congress leader has been among the most vocal critics of the government over the NEET controversy and has repeatedly accused the Centre of failing to protect the integrity of competitive examinations.

In recent weeks, he has also criticised the government over issues linked to the CBSE's On-Screen Marking system and demanded accountability from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The BJP strongly condemned Rahul Gandhi's remarks, accusing him of misrepresenting the government's position and trivialising a serious issue.

BJP leader Amit Malviya described the comment as "preposterous" and "outrageous".

According to Malviya, suggesting that the Prime Minister personally supervised the paper leak was an unreasonable interpretation of the government's submission before the court.

He argued that Rahul Gandhi had once again chosen sensational political attacks over constructive engagement on an issue affecting students. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also criticised the Congress leader, accusing him of selectively reading the government's statement and deliberately ignoring the context in which it was made.

Background of the NEET controversy

The NEET-UG examination is India's largest medical entrance test and serves as the gateway for admission to undergraduate medical programmes across the country.

The cancellation of the exam triggered uncertainty for lakhs of students after allegations emerged that question papers had been leaked before the test.

The controversy quickly escalated into a national political issue, with opposition parties questioning the credibility of the examination system and demanding accountability from the government.

The Centre subsequently handed the investigation to the CBI, which has been probing the alleged leak and related irregularities. The latest exchange between Rahul Gandhi and the BJP reflects the broader political battle over responsibility for the examination scandal.

While the Congress has sought to portray the leak as evidence of systemic failure under the BJP-led government, the ruling party has accused the opposition of politicising an issue that is already being investigated by central agencies.

With the Supreme Court continuing to monitor aspects of the matter and the CBI probe still underway, the controversy remains one of the most significant education-related issues facing the government.