Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said that “protectors have turned into predators” over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak issue, adding that teachers who were assigned responsibilities by the National Testing Agency (NTA) had failed to carry out their duties properly. He also held himself responsible for the recent suicides of several NEET candidates.
More than two million students seeking admission to medical courses took the retest on Sunday amid tight security measures, weeks after the NTA announced the retest on May 15.
The announcement of the retest came after the agency received an email on May 8, claiming that the paper had been leaked and pointing out similarities between the frequently asked guess sheet and the question paper used on May 3.
Education Minister in NEET paper leakage case
Talking about the issues reported during the previous inspection, Pradhan said some people who were given charge did not perform their duties as expected.
“NTA has placed its trust in some teachers, but some of them have not fulfilled their responsibility. Rakshak hi bhakshakban gaye (The protectors turn themselves into predators),” he told NDTV during an interview.
It is worth noting that three teachers, namely PV Kulkarni, Manisha Mandhari and Manisha Havaldar, were the key figures behind the leak of chemistry, biology and physics question papers, respectively.
While speaking about the re-examination, he said the government’s main focus is to ensure that deserving students across the country get a fair and safe opportunity.
“Our country’s outstanding students have done well and will get good grades,” he added.
Dharmendra Pradhan talks about student suicide
More than 10 students have died by suicide in the past few weeks. Many of them were reportedly under stress in the wake of the paper leak controversy and in the run-up to the re-test.
Pradhan said he considers himself responsible for these deaths. However, he accused the Congress and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of “politicizing” the matter.
“As education minister, I curse myself every time there is a student suicide. We have to fix the broken system. But the way Congress and Rahul Gandhi have used student suicides is low-level politics,” he told the media.
NEET paper leakage case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the alleged leak, has arrested 13 people so far.
On May 12, NTA canceled the NEET-UG exam conducted on May 3 after allegations of paper leakage surfaced.
Disclaimer: Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides can be prevented. If you need support or know someone who does, please contact your nearest mental health professional. Helplines: Al-Asra: 02227546669; Sneha Foundation India: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secunderabad) Contact Numbers: 040-66202001, 040-66202000; One Life: Contact Number: 78930 78930, Seva: Contact Number: 09441778290
