Renowned climate activist and education advocate Sonam Wangchuk called off his 26-day hunger strike on Thursday after receiving written and verbal assurances from senior Union ministers regarding the massive NEET-UG 2026 examination paper leak crisis.
Wangchuk had been fasting in solidarity with lakhs of medical aspirants and their families affected by the scandal. The leak led to the cancellation of the exam for over 2 million students and has been tragically linked to at least a dozen student suicides amid widespread despair and allegations of systemic corruption in the examination process.
On July 23, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh visited Wangchuk at Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital, where he was under medical supervision. The ministers assured him of several key commitments:
▪️No criminal cases against students and peaceful protesters demonstrating over the issue.
▪️A dedicated parliamentary debate on comprehensive reforms in the competitive examination system.
▪️Financial compensation and support for the families of students who lost their lives due to the crisis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly reinforced these assurances, promising swift justice through fast-track courts and stricter penalties for those involved in examination malpractices.
Government and Opposition Reactions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued the following statement:
“The future of our youth is the foundation of Viksit Bharat. We will not tolerate any compromise in the sanctity of examinations. Fast-track special courts will be set up, culprits will face the harshest punishments, and systemic reforms will ensure such incidents never recur. I salute the resilience of our students and appreciate the concerns raised by responsible voices like Sonam Wangchuk.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responded sharply, criticizing the government’s handling of the crisis:
“The NEET scam is not just a paper leak — it is a monumental failure of governance that has destroyed the dreams of millions. While we welcome any assurances, mere words are not enough. The Education Minister must take moral responsibility and resign. We demand a full judicial inquiry, complete transparency, and immediate cancellation of tainted results with a fair re-examination.”
The developments come amid continued protests by various student groups and opposition parties. The Cockroach Janta Party and allied organizations have announced they will sustain their agitation until the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Wangchuk, while breaking his fast, expressed cautious optimism but urged the government to implement the promises in a time-bound manner. “This is not just about one exam. It is about restoring faith in India’s education system,” he said in a brief statement from the hospital.
The NEET-UG 2026 controversy has sparked nationwide outrage, with demands for accountability, technological safeguards against leaks, and decentralization of the examination process gaining momentum across political and civil society circles.
Medical experts at Medanta confirmed that Wangchuk’s health is stable but advised rest and monitoring following the prolonged fast. Student unions have called for nationwide vigils to keep pressure on the authorities for full implementation of the announced reforms.
The coming weeks are expected to see intense parliamentary discussions and possible judicial interventions as the government attempts to contain the fallout from one of the largest examination scandals in recent Indian history.
