Congress to Launch Nationwide Agitation Over NEET Row, Seeks Education Minister’s Resignation

The Congress party has announced a nationwide campaign beginning June 30 to intensify its protest against the Centre over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination process. The opposition party will use the campaign to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him accountable for what it describes as repeated failures in the management of competitive examinations.

The campaign, titled “Chhatron Ki Goonj” (Voice of Students), will be conducted across several states and major cities. Congress leaders said the initiative is aimed at amplifying the concerns of students and parents who have been affected by examination controversies, including allegations of paper leaks, administrative lapses and inconsistencies in the conduct of national-level tests.

Senior party leaders stated that the campaign would feature public meetings, press conferences, student interactions and outreach programmes designed to highlight what they termed a crisis in the education system. According to the Congress, recurring incidents involving entrance examinations have undermined public confidence and created uncertainty for millions of students preparing for higher education opportunities.

The party has accused the Union government of failing to ensure transparency and accountability in the examination process. Congress leaders argued that students have been forced to bear the consequences of systemic shortcomings and demanded stronger safeguards to prevent future irregularities. They maintained that political responsibility for these issues rests with the Education Ministry and renewed their call for Pradhan’s resignation.

The announcement comes amid an ongoing political confrontation over the handling of NEET-UG and other competitive examinations. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly criticised the government, alleging that it has not adequately addressed the concerns of students and aspirants. The party contends that repeated controversies surrounding examinations have damaged the credibility of the system and require urgent intervention.

Beyond seeking the minister’s resignation, Congress leaders said the campaign would also focus on broader reforms in the education sector. The party plans to advocate for stricter anti-cheating mechanisms, improved oversight of examination bodies and greater accountability in the conduct of public tests.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has rejected the opposition’s allegations and defended its handling of the issue. The Education Ministry has maintained that corrective measures are being implemented to strengthen examination security and restore confidence among students. Nevertheless, the upcoming Congress campaign is expected to keep the education debate at the centre of national politics in the weeks ahead.