Kejriwal Slams Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Over Remarks on Students Protesting Paper Leaks

New Delhi, June 2026 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his remarks against students protesting alleged examination paper leaks, accusing the minister of displaying arrogance and attempting to discredit young people demanding accountability.

Students from several states have gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to protest against repeated paper leak incidents and to demand the resignation of the Union Education Minister. The demonstrations, which have drawn attention from across the country, have been supported by various opposition parties, including the AAP.

Reacting to Pradhan’s comments, Kejriwal alleged that the Central government was trying to undermine and malign students who were raising legitimate concerns about the integrity of competitive examinations.

Taking to social media platform X, Kejriwal shared a video of the Education Minister’s statement and criticized him for allegedly portraying protesting students as anti-national elements.

“Such arrogance? Innocent students protesting against paper leaks want to ‘break the country,’ and you are saving the nation by destroying their future, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan? Remarkable,” Kejriwal wrote in his post.

The AAP leader said students who are demanding fair examinations and transparency should not be labelled or targeted for expressing their concerns. He argued that repeated paper leaks have severely affected the careers and mental well-being of lakhs of young aspirants who spend years preparing for highly competitive examinations.

The controversy comes amid growing public anger over alleged irregularities in several national-level examinations. Students and youth organizations have been demanding stricter action against those involved in paper leak rackets and greater accountability from authorities responsible for conducting examinations.

AAP has consistently voiced support for students protesting against examination irregularities. Following the controversy surrounding the NEET examination and reports of paper leaks, the party has repeatedly accused the Central government of failing to protect the interests of students.

Earlier, Kejriwal had strongly criticized the government over reports that some students, allegedly driven into depression by examination-related controversies, had taken extreme steps. He argued that repeated paper leak incidents were destroying the confidence of young people and undermining faith in the education system.

According to Kejriwal, paper leaks have evolved into a massive illegal industry involving influential individuals and organized networks. He claimed that examination-related irregularities have become increasingly common and questioned the government’s ability to conduct fair and transparent tests.

“Paper leaks have become a multi-billion-rupee business, and very powerful people are involved in it. Every few years, another examination controversy emerges. There are irregularities in one examination after another, and paper leaks continue to surface,” he had said earlier.

The AAP chief further alleged that the recurring incidents reflected a deeper governance problem rather than isolated administrative failures. He maintained that students deserve a reliable examination system that rewards merit and hard work rather than one plagued by uncertainty and controversy.

As protests continue at Jantar Mantar, students remain firm in their demand for accountability and stronger measures to prevent future paper leaks, while the political debate over the issue continues to intensify.

Team Maverick.