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New Delhi : The political battle over examination integrity has now reached Punjab, with the BJP demanding the resignation of Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains over alleged paper leaks. The demand comes in the wake of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, triggering fresh scrutiny of state-level examination systems.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that several examinations under the Punjab government were marred by irregularities. He cited the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) Class 12 English exam, the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET), the Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) recruitment examination, and recruitment tests conducted by the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB), including the Naib Tehsildar, Pharmacy Officer, and Group-B recruitment exams. He also alleged discrepancies in the Excise and Taxation Inspector merit list.
The Congress also joined the attack, with Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring claiming that at least six major examination-related controversies had surfaced over the past four years. He questioned why the Education Minister had not resigned and called for greater accountability and transparency in the state’s recruitment and examination process.
Rejecting the allegations, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted that there had not been a single paper leak during his government’s four-and-a-half-year tenure. He acknowledged that authorities had intercepted cheating attempts at two examination centres but said swift action was taken against those responsible within minutes.
AAP leader Baltej Pannu defended the government, arguing that the opposition was deliberately equating isolated cheating incidents with paper leaks. He accused both the BJP and Congress of attempting to shift focus from examination controversies that occurred during their own administrations.
The latest confrontation follows the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after weeks of protests over the alleged NEET paper leak. With Pralhad Joshi now heading the Education Ministry, the political debate over examination transparency and accountability continues to intensify across the country.
