Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh

The final Monsoon Session of the Punjab Assembly under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government witnessed intense uproar and sharp political exchanges, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launching a strong attack on the Centre and BJP-ruled states over the recurring issue of examination paper leaks.

Speaking during the debate on a condemnation motion moved by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Mann said he stood firmly in support of the proposal and expressed deep concern over the impact of paper leaks on students from poor and middle-class families.

Chief Minister said that students work hard with the hope of changing their family’s destiny through education, but their dreams are shattered when question papers are allegedly purchased by wealthy individuals before the examination.

“This is not merely a paper leak; it is the purchase of examination papers. Leaks happen because someone buys the paper. It is a direct assault on the future of our children,” Mann said.

He claimed that cheating and paper leak rackets charge between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 20 lakh for access to examination papers and said recent arrests had exposed the scale of the alleged scam.

Attack on Prime Minister and Central Government

Mann accused the Prime Minister of initially refusing to acknowledge the seriousness of the paper leak issue and reacting only after mounting pressure from students and youth groups.

He also questioned the Centre’s response of setting up fast-track courts, arguing that the real challenge was preventing paper leaks in the first place.

“If the government can deploy the Army and Air Force for security and other operations, why can it not stop examination papers from being sold?” he asked.

The Chief Minister further alleged that there was no effective accountability for officials involved in examination irregularities.

BJP-Ruled States Under Fire

Holding up what he described as data on paper leak incidents, Mann alleged that 65 paper leaks occurred between 2019 and 2024, and most of them were reported from states governed by the BJP. He further claimed that 93 such incidents had taken place since 2014.

“This is not a leak of papers; it is a betrayal of the destiny of millions of students,” he said.

Referring to protests by students demanding action against examination irregularities, the Chief Minister criticised the use of lathi-charge, water cannons, and pellet guns against young protesters, many of whom were only demanding the resignation of the Education Minister.

Support for Student Protests

Mann expressed support for student activists protesting at Jantar Mantar, saying that the concerns raised by them were genuine. He alleged that 22 students had died by suicide due to the pressure created by examination irregularities and uncertainty surrounding recruitment and entrance tests.

Congress Also Comes Under Attack

The Chief Minister did not spare the Congress either, accusing the opposition party of failing to stand with protesting students. Pointing towards empty opposition benches in the Assembly, he remarked that the vacant seats reflected what the Congress’ position could look like in 2027.

Punjab’s Own Cases

Mann acknowledged that Punjab had also witnessed two cases related to cheating and examination malpractice, including irregularities in a Naib Tehsildar examination and a pharmacy paper. However, he claimed that the state government acted swiftly and detected the pharmacy cheating case within 15 minutes through digital surveillance.

He concluded by asserting that the Punjab government had provided more than 68,000 jobs and remained committed to protecting the integrity of examinations and recruitment processes.

The heated debate kept the Assembly on edge for much of the day, turning the final Monsoon Session into one of the most politically charged sittings of the AAP government’s current term.