'Didn't want headlines, wanted solutions': Raghav Chadha on why he didn't speak on NEET paper leak issue

The Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab also said that the proposed bill to prevent paper leaks will help make the system stronger and exams “more secure”. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Raghav Chadha broke silence on the NEET paper leak issue on Thursday and answered why he did not speak up on the matter until now. He said now that he sits on the treasury benches, it is his responsibility to find solutions to the problem.Raghav Chadha made the remarks during the discussion on the Public Examinations (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which came up in the Rajya Sabha a day after it was passed by the Lok Sabha. (Screengrab/Sansad TV)“I would also like to say something to my well-wishers who had been telling me for some time, 'Raghav, when will you speak on the NEET issue? We want to hear you.' I want to say very humbly, sir: when I used to sit in the opposition, then the question was my weapon; today I sit on the treasury benches, today the solution is my responsibility,” Chadha said in Rajya Sabha.He said that he could have appeared in front of camera every day to say something but he did want a “headline”, rather he wanted an “outcome”."When I was in the opposition, my job was to raise issues and raise questions, and the whole House and you know I did that job with full honesty. But today my role is not to mark attendance in front of the camera; my focus is to fix the system, Chadha said.“Therefore, I made a promise to myself that I would speak on this issue in Parliament and I would speak on the day when we are solving the problem, bringing a solution, when the system is getting fixed. And today is that historic day when the system is getting fixed,” he added.Also read: 'Govt heard, govt delivered': Raghav Chadha speaks up 'in support' of students in ParliamentThe Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab also said that the proposed bill to prevent paper leaks will help make the system stronger and exams “more secure”."The exam will be fair. Merit will be respected. The mafia will be in jail. The government will be the watchman. The action will be powerful. Students will win. Mafia will lose. Jai Hind," Chadha said.Chadha made the remarks during the discussion on the Public Examinations (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which came up in the Rajya Sabha a day after it was passed by the Lok Sabha.Also read: Delhi government to give ₹2,500 monthly stipend to women, but can't spend on liquor, online gamesRaghav Chadha ‘in support’ of studentsChadha also voiced his support for students in the Parliament and said that the BJP-led government responded to their concerns by delivering on their key demands.Also read: Meta India head named in FIR over morphed photos targeting PM Modi during student paper leak protests"I have earned the right to say my next sentence with full conviction and sincerity: that when it came to our students and the youth of India, the government heard, the government actioned, and the government delivered," he said.Chadha's remarks come after the nation-wide student protests forced education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.Nikita Sharma is a Senior Content Producer with Hindustan Times. She is a Delhi-based digital journalist with five years of experience writing and editing news stories across beats including crime, politics, tech, trends and much more, both national and international. At Hindustan Times, she is part of the news team and focuses on breaking news, keeping a track of what is happening where, and chasing ever-developing news stories. She has a penchant for covering crime, geopolitics, and Indian politics with a keen eye for stories often overlooked in the daily news cycle. At Hindustan Times, she has extensively covered several key events including the US Presidential elections, Air India plane crash, Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, US’ tariff war, and others. As a Delhi aficionado, she particularly enjoys roaming and writing about the national capital — its heritage, food, art and culture, and the many problems that come with it — the pollution, waterlogging, traffic, and more. Nikita did her Bachelor in Journalism and Mass Communication from GGSIPU and started working as a digital journalist in 2021. During her first stint, she covered hyperlocal news at a Delhi-based newsroom, writing and editing stories on builder-buyer conflicts, civic issues such as potholes, waterlogging, lack of facilities at hospitals in Delhi, crippling of the city during peak monsoon season. She also wrote features covering Delhi’s art exhibitions, heritage walks, artist profiles, museums, classical Hindustani music concerts and dance shows. She entered mainstream news in 2023 and has previously worked at NDTV.Read MoreRaghav ChadhaRajya SabhaNeetGet the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.