New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday intensified the Opposition’s attack on the Centre over the ongoing NEET controversy, questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to publicly wish Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on his birthday while several families continue to mourn the deaths of NEET aspirants.
Taking to social media platform X, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said every student who lost their life represented dreams, aspirations and a future that had been shattered by what he described as a “broken system.” He alleged that the government had failed to acknowledge its responsibility in addressing the concerns surrounding the examination process.
“Each name on this list was a child with a dream, a family, a future all destroyed by a broken system and a government that refuses to learn or take accountability,” Rahul Gandhi wrote. He further asked whether the Prime Minister had spared a thought for the deceased students while extending birthday greetings to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a birthday message on X, praising Pradhan for his efforts in implementing the National Education Policy (NEP). In his message, the Prime Minister said the minister had been making commendable efforts to transform India’s education sector and prayed for his long and healthy life.
The Congress also escalated its criticism through senior party leader Pawan Khera, who responded directly to the Prime Minister’s post. In a strongly worded reply, Khera listed the names of several deceased NEET aspirants, writing, “Dear Dharmendra Uncle, Happy Birthday. You turn 57 today. We couldn’t even reach half your age.”
The list shared by Khera included several students who reportedly died in recent months, with the Congress using the post to underline what it termed the emotional and human cost of the examination crisis.
The latest political exchange comes amid continuing controversy surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026. Allegations related to irregularities and the examination paper leak have kept the issue at the centre of national political debate, with the Opposition repeatedly demanding greater accountability from the Union Education Ministry.
The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination was conducted on June 21 across India and at 14 overseas centres following concerns raised over the integrity of the original examination. While the National Testing Agency completed the re-test successfully, political criticism over the handling of the examination process has continued.
The Congress has maintained that repeated controversies surrounding competitive examinations have undermined students’ confidence and called for comprehensive reforms to ensure transparency, fairness and accountability in the conduct of national-level entrance tests.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has defended the government’s handling of the issue, highlighting corrective measures taken following the paper leak controversy and reaffirming its commitment to conducting fair examinations for all aspirants.
The NEET controversy continues to remain a major political issue, with both the ruling party and the Opposition trading charges over the management of India’s premier medical entrance examination.