Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

Chandigarh, Aug 3: The Punjab Assembly on Monday passed a censure motion against repeated examination paper leaks across the country, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government accusing the BJP-led Centre of failing to protect the interests of students and job aspirants.

The motion, passed by a voice vote, was presented as a show of solidarity with the country's youth and condemned what the state government described as repeated failures in conducting fair examinations.

Replying to the debate and later addressing the media, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the censure motion would be sent to the Prime Minister's Office, the Union Ministry of Education and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, urging the Centre to take stringent measures to curb paper leaks and restore confidence in the education system.

The Congress, the principal Opposition party in Punjab, staged a walkout during the debate.

Speaking in the Assembly, Mann alleged that repeated paper leaks under the BJP-led Union Government had shattered the aspirations of crores of students.

"Those who claim to make India a Vishwaguru have made a mockery of the education system by failing to stop repeated paper leaks. Selling examination papers destroys the dreams of lakhs of aspirants," he said.

The Chief Minister claimed that 22 NEET aspirants had died by suicide due to examination-related distress and alleged that 93 paper leak incidents had occurred across the country since 2014. He further claimed that 65 such cases were reported between 2019 and 2024, with several occurring in BJP-ruled states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.

Mann also criticised changes in school curricula, alleging that they were being driven by political considerations rather than educational needs.

He accused the Centre of using tear gas, pellet guns and police force against protesting students instead of addressing their concerns.

"Pellet guns are banned in many parts of the world, but they have been used against innocent students. Instead of ensuring fair examinations, the Prime Minister is talking about fast-track courts. Even the deployment of defence services for conducting examinations reflects the failure of the system," he said.

Questioning the effectiveness of investigations into paper leak cases, Mann said a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe was ordered after every major incident, but alleged that those responsible rarely faced punishment.

"Crores of students have suffered because of these paper leaks. Ordering a CBI inquiry has become a mere formality. If paper leaks continue and cases are decided only later in fast-track courts, the problem will remain unresolved," he added.