Published Jul 19, 2026 | 2:48 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 19, 2026 | 2:48 PM
BK Hariprasad said the Centre's failure to prevent exam paper leaks was "a betrayal of India's youth".
Synopsis: Karnataka Congress President BK Hariprasad has called for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into alleged question paper leaks and demanded Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. He accused the Union government of failing to prevent repeated leaks, alleged they had affected lakhs of students, and termed it “a betrayal of India’s youth”.
Karnataka Congress President BK Hariprasad has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged question paper leak cases across the country and reiterated his party’s longstanding demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Addressing a press conference at the KPCC office in Bengaluru on Sunday, 19 July, Hariprasad accused the Narendra Modi-led Union government of failing to curb recurring question paper leaks, calling them “a betrayal of India’s youth” and alleging that they have jeopardised the future of lakhs of students across the country.
Hariprasad urged the Centre to constitute an independent nationwide investigation, monitored by the Supreme Court and headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, free from political interference. “The Congress party’s fight is not against any particular examination. It is a fight to protect the future of millions of students,” he said.
Hariprasad alleged that there have been 152 question paper leaks since 2014, many of them in BJP-ruled states. He further claimed that investigations in several cases had led to the families of BJP leaders in states including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
He questioned the Centre on how many examination papers had leaked over the past decade, whether all such cases had been thoroughly investigated, how many accused had been punished, and why such incidents continued to recur. He demanded that Pradhan resign, taking “moral responsibility” for the repeated leaks.
Also Read: Supreme Court extends deadline to conduct Greater Bengaluru Authority polls to 31 December
Hariprasad, referring to the fresh row over the NEET UG examination, said that nearly 23 lakh aspirants had been left uncertain about their future because of alleged examination irregularities.
“Parents take huge loans and make enormous sacrifices to educate their children. When question papers leak just before examinations, it destroys the dreams of students and their families,” he added.
Hariprasad said the Congress was raising the issue to highlight the growing anxiety among students and parents.
Referring to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s recent “Chhatraon Ki Goonj” programme in Kota, Rajasthan, a major coaching hub that has witnessed a rise in student suicides, he said the initiative was aimed at listening to students, addressing their concerns and restoring their confidence.
He added that the party had invited Rahul Gandhi to Karnataka to interact with students and would also raise the issue during the upcoming Parliament session.
“The government is legally and morally bound to answer the concerns of students and their families,” Hariprasad said.
