Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, August 12, said the government was ready to discuss the student protests over the alleged NEET paper leak in Parliament and offered to respond to questions from Opposition members.
In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Shah urged him to facilitate a discussion on the issue during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
Shah noted that the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, had already been debated in Parliament. However, he pointed out that Opposition members had not raised the NEET examination issue during the discussion on the legislation.
Despite this, Shah said the government was willing to take up the matter separately in the House.
He also referred to a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, where Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had agreed on behalf of the government to hold a discussion on the student protests linked to the NEET examination.
Shah requested Birla to consult Opposition leaders and decide the duration of the discussion through mutual consensus. He proposed that the discussion could begin on Wednesday and continue for as many hours as deemed appropriate.
The Home Minister also assured the Speaker that he would remain present in the House during the discussion and respond to questions raised by Opposition members.
The issue has remained a major point of contention between the government and the Opposition during the Monsoon Session. Opposition parties have been seeking a statement from Shah over alleged police excesses during the July 20 student protest march near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The Opposition has also raised allegations that pellet guns were used during the protest against the alleged NEET paper leak. The issue has led to repeated disruptions in Parliament since the beginning of the session.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also sought answers from the Home Minister over the handling of the student protests.
Shah’s offer to participate in the discussion could pave the way for the government and the Opposition to take up the contentious issue in Parliament.