Government Ready for Parliamentary Discussion on NEET Paper Leak Issue, Says Rijiju

The Central Government on Wednesday said it is prepared to hold a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak issue and requested Speaker Om Birla to convene a meeting of leaders from all political parties to decide the rules, date, and duration of the debate. When the House reassembled at noon after an earlier adjournment, Speaker Om Birla invited Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to make a statement. However, Congress leader K.C. Venugopal intervened, reiterating the Opposition's demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination irregularities. Responding to the developments, Rijiju stated that the government was willing to debate the NEET paper leak issue in Parliament. He said the Speaker should hold consultations with floor leaders of all parties to determine the procedural rule under which the discussion would take place, along with its date and duration. Amid continued sloganeering by Opposition members, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 p.m. The parliamentary developments came amid continuing protests led by supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. A day after demonstrations in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said those responsible for the crime would not be spared and would face the maximum possible punishment under the law. Addressing the issue publicly for the first time since the protests began, the Prime Minister said that paper leaks should not be viewed through a partisan lens and stressed that the matter should not be politicised. Meanwhile, Delhi Police registered 10 FIRs at different police stations in connection with the CJP protests. According to police officials, the cases relate to various incidents and law-and-order concerns reported during the demonstrations. A CJP spokesperson also claimed that Union Minister J.P. Nadda had invited the party leadership for a meeting at 12 noon. However, the spokesperson said the party had informed the government that any discussion should take place at the protest site itself rather than elsewhere. The protest also affected public transport in the national capital. Due to security concerns, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) temporarily closed several metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, and Mandi House. Hundreds of commuters and students were forced to alter their travel plans as trains skipped the closed stations, causing inconvenience during the morning rush hour.