BENGALURU, June 20 — Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday questioned the Central government’s handling of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) process, saying it was the first time he had seen armed forces deployed to conduct a national examination.
Speaking to ANI, Kharge said the Karnataka government had extended full cooperation to all requests related to the examination process.
“The state has offered complete cooperation to anything that anybody has asked for. More importantly, the responsibility lies with the NTA and the Central government. This is the first time I am seeing that they have deployed armed forces to conduct exams. This shows the competence level of the government,” Kharge said.
In an unprecedented operation aimed at preventing paper leaks, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a large-scale aerial logistics mission to securely transport NEET-UG question papers across the country.
Operating under strict security measures last week, the IAF conducted more than 200 sorties using transport aircraft and helicopters.
Sources told ANI that the Air Force transported question papers from two central hubs and distributed them to examination centers at more than 20 locations nationwide.
The NEET examination conducted last month was canceled following allegations of a question paper leak. Authorities subsequently announced that the re-examination would be held on June 21.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has also restricted access to the Telegram platform in India for a limited period ending June 22, covering the day of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination and its immediate aftermath.
According to officials, the restriction is intended to address the platform’s alleged misuse for creating and circulating fabricated claims of examination paper leaks related to national-level tests. (ANI)
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