Akanksha’s mother demands wider accountability over NEET leak

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

The mother of NEET aspirant Akanksha Chaturvedi has rejected Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as sufficient accountability for the examination paper leak, demanding stringent punishment for those responsible and the resignation of the government’s top leadership.
Neelam Chaturvedi said the departure of the education minister did not deliver justice for her 18-year-old daughter, who died by suicide after the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test was cancelled and a fresh examination was announced. She called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to step down, arguing that responsibility extended beyond a single ministry.

Her intervention has kept public attention on the families affected by the examination crisis, even after Pradhan resigned on July 25 following weeks of student demonstrations. Neelam said those involved in leaking the question paper should face the strongest punishment available under law and sought compensation for her family.

Akanksha, who came from Mauganj district in Madhya Pradesh, was preparing for medical entrance examinations at a coaching institute in Nagpur. She appeared for NEET-UG on May 3 and expected to score more than 650 marks, her family said.

The National Testing Agency cancelled the examination on May 12 after allegations that the question paper had been leaked. A fresh test was scheduled for June 21, forcing candidates to prepare again despite having already completed one of the country’s most competitive entrance examinations.

Akanksha died on May 20. Her family later found a handwritten note among her study materials in which she expressed fear that she would not be able to repeat her performance in the new examination. The note was handed to Ambazari police on June 1.

Her parents have maintained that the cancellation shattered their daughter’s confidence after years of preparation. They have sought a transparent investigation, punishment for everyone involved in the leak and financial support for families that lost children during the crisis.

Pradhan submitted his resignation after the NEET controversy developed into a wider protest against examination irregularities, unemployment and the pressure faced by students. He said his decision was made in the interest of national unity and should not be viewed as a question of personal prestige.

Pralhad Joshi was subsequently given charge of the Education Ministry in addition to his existing responsibilities. The change came as the government negotiated with representatives of the youth-led movement that organised demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and other locations.

The government agreed to reform the examination system, withdraw police cases filed against protesters and compensate families of students who died by suicide following paper-leak controversies. Protest organisers called off their agitation after the commitments were announced, while saying that implementation would be closely watched.

Modi has announced a task force headed by technology entrepreneur Nandan Nilekani to redesign the examination system. The proposed overhaul is expected to focus on transparency, digital safeguards, secure distribution of question papers and stronger monitoring of testing centres.

The government also plans legislation carrying tougher penalties for organised paper leaks. The move is intended to address weaknesses in the Public Examinations Act and improve coordination between testing agencies, state authorities, police and cybercrime investigators.

The NEET-UG examination determines admission to undergraduate medical courses and attracts more than two million candidates each year. Even limited evidence of a compromised paper can affect candidates across the country because rankings are determined by narrow differences in marks.

The cancellation placed students under intense academic and emotional strain. Many candidates had spent several years preparing through coaching programmes while their families committed substantial savings to tuition, accommodation and study materials.

Opposition parties are preparing to continue raising the controversy in Parliament. They have argued that Pradhan’s departure must be followed by disclosure of the investigation’s findings, identification of those who benefited from the leak and action against officials whose failures allowed the breach.

The government has maintained that examination reform and stronger penalties will prevent similar episodes. It now faces pressure to specify how compensation will be calculated, which families will qualify and when criminal cases against demonstrators will be withdrawn.