Two days after NEET re-examination, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has blamed certain teachers for the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. Addressing the NEET paper leak controversy in an interview, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said some teachers betrayed the trust placed in them by the NTA. “National Testing Agency (NTA) had trusted a select group of teachers involved in the question paper-setting process, but some of them breached that trust”, Pradhan said while defending extensive security measures adopted for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.
Speaking about the irregularities that surfaced during the earlier examination cycle, Pradhan said NTA had placed its trust in certain teachers, but some of them did not fulfil their responsibility. “Rakshak hi bhakshak ban gaye (the protectors themselves turned predators)” he said.
The minister also launched a sharp attack on the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a satirical outfit that had been protesting at Jantar Mantar against the NEET paper leak issue. Calling CJP a B team of disruptive elements”, Pradhan alleged that it was attempting to undermine institutions and create disruption. “They are the B team of disruptive elements. Those who were rejected in the democracy have come in disguise and are now behind the system. They raise slogans for those who want the country to be broken,” he said.
Pradhan’s remarks came days after the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination was conducted under heightened security following allegations of a paper leak and other irregularities in the earlier test. Defending the re-examination process, the minister said the government’s primary focus was to ensure a fair and secure examination for deserving students across the country. “The meritorious students of our country have done well, and they are going to score good marks,” he said.
According to Pradhan, preparing the question paper while maintaining confidentiality was among the biggest challenges before the authorities. To address this, expert teams were constituted and multiple question paper sets were prepared. He said no individual knew which set would ultimately be selected for the examination.
The minister further said all teachers involved in preparing the papers were kept in isolation for several days and had no access to the internet during that period. These measures, he said, were aimed at preventing any possibility of a leak and ensuring the smooth conduct of the examination.
The NEET-UG re-examination was held on June 21 after the earlier exam was marred by allegations of paper leaks and malpractice, triggering widespread concern among students and parents. The Education Ministry and the NTA introduced additional safeguards and enhanced monitoring mechanisms to protect the integrity of the examination process and restore public confidence in the system.