Strict action against paper leaks: PM Modi

Amid the nationwide student movement over alleged NEET paper leak and increasing demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government would announce tougher paper leak measures in the Cabinet on Friday. He said that the Cabinet would discuss a draft law providing for fast-track courts and stricter punishment in paper leak cases. Efforts would be made for passing the legislation in the Parliament in the monsoon session.

Modi posted a three-minute video message on social media stating that the paper leaks of various examinations had caused immense pain to lakhs of students and parents.

Modi said that the immediate priority after the alleged paper leak was to ensure that students did not lose an academic year.

"The government used its full capacity to organise the exams for nearly 2.2 million students in the shortest possible time. Just five or six days ago, on the 19th, the results were declared, and reports of successful candidates celebrating their achievements have been coming in from across the country," he said.

The PM said the officials had taken action against those responsible for the paper leak. Many of the accused had been arrested and jailed. "But we are not the kind of people who are satisfied with just that. Therefore, today I directed the departments to prepare provisions for fast-track courts," he said.