Parliament adjourned for third straight day as Opposition stands firm on Pradhan's resignation over NEET row

23/07/2026

NEW DELHI, Jul 22: Parliament remained virtually paralysed for the third consecutive day of the Monsoon Session on Wednesday, with both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha being adjourned for the day amid unrelenting protests by the Opposition over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, examination irregularities and the recent police action against protesting students. The Opposition remained firm on its demand for the resignation of union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before any discussion on the issue could take place, while the government reiterated that it was prepared for a debate without any preconditions.
The Lok Sabha was first adjourned till 12 noon, then till 2 p.m., and was eventually adjourned for the day without transacting any meaningful business. The Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions and was adjourned successively till 12 noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. before proceedings were called off for the day.
The deadlock persisted despite repeated appeals from the Treasury Benches for the Opposition to participate in a discussion. In the Rajya Sabha, union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Leader of the House J P Nadda said the government was ready to discuss the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and other issues raised by the Opposition.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, however, insisted that a fair discussion could only take place after union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down.
"The Education Minister must resign first. Only then can there be a fair discussion in Parliament," Kharge asserted, maintaining that ministerial accountability was essential given the gravity of the allegations surrounding the examination system.
Earlier in the day, Congress MP K C Venugopal raised the issues of the alleged paper leak and the police action against students in the Lok Sabha, while Kharge pressed the matter in the Rajya Sabha as Opposition members demanded an immediate debate on the controversy.
The disruption followed coordinated protests by INDIA bloc MPs, who turned up in black attire to observe a "Black Day" in protest against the alleged examination scandal and the police crackdown on students. Even before Parliament assembled, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and several other Opposition leaders gathered at Makar Dwar dressed in black.
Holding placards and raising slogans, the Opposition demanded the resignation of union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination irregularities and union Home Minister Amit Shah over the police action against student protesters. They also sought an immediate discussion on paper leaks and examination reforms and demanded the withdrawal of all FIRs registered against students who participated in the protests.
The confrontation soon spilled into both Houses when proceedings commenced for the day. Opposition members entered the Well of the House, raising slogans and demanding justice for students while accusing the government of failing to protect the integrity of competitive examinations. Despite repeated appeals by the Chair to maintain order, the protests continued, forcing successive adjournments throughout the day.
The repeated disruptions underscored the Opposition's determination to make the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and examination irregularities the central issue of the Monsoon Session. Since Parliament convened on July 20, Opposition parties have consistently accused the Centre of failing to safeguard the credibility of competitive examinations, arguing that recurring paper leaks and recruitment controversies have shattered the aspirations of millions of students and job seekers.
Intervening in the Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the controversy.
"Why is the Prime Minister fighting shy of coming to the House and saying something on this issue?" Yadav asked, alleging that the government was avoiding accountability on a matter directly affecting the country's youth.
The Congress has maintained that the controversy extends beyond a single examination and reflects what it describes as a "systemic crisis" in India's examination, evaluation and recruitment framework. The party argues that repeated paper leaks and alleged irregularities have eroded public confidence in institutions responsible for conducting national-level competitive examinations and jeopardised the future of lakhs of students.
Wednesday's developments came a day after political tensions escalated outside Parliament when Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other Opposition leaders attempted to march towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence to press their demands for accountability over the examination controversy. The march was stopped by Delhi Police, and several senior Opposition leaders were briefly detained.
The parliamentary agitation follows protests by students in central Delhi demanding action over the alleged paper leak and examination irregularities. Those demonstrations witnessed clashes with police, with law enforcement reportedly using batons and tear gas to disperse protesters. Opposition parties have described the police response as excessive and have demanded that all criminal cases filed against the protesting students be withdrawn.
Several Opposition parties have also submitted notices in both Houses seeking discussions on the examination controversy and the police action under various parliamentary procedures, arguing that the issue warrants an urgent debate.
The government, meanwhile, has maintained that necessary action is being taken in cases involving examination irregularities and has appealed to the Opposition to allow Parliament to function. Treasury Bench leaders have accused Opposition parties of repeatedly disrupting proceedings instead of participating in discussions through established parliamentary mechanisms.
With the Monsoon Session scheduled to continue until August 13, the continuing impasse over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, examination reforms and the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation threatens to further disrupt Parliament's legislative business, even as the issue remains at the centre of the political battle between the government and the Opposition.

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