Jalandhar Cantt: Congress MLA Pargat Singh has challenged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s claim of zero paper leaks under the AAP government, citing multiple examination controversies over the past four years.
On July 26, 2026, the Jalandhar Cantt MLA and former Education & Sports Minister (Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee, ex-Indian hockey captain) posted on X that Mann’s assertion that “not a single paper leak has occurred” does not match the record. He listed controversies involving the Naib Tehsildar exam, PSTET, PSEB Class 12, ADO, PSSSB Group-B, and the recent 454 Pharmacist recruitment examination conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS).
Singh stated that the biggest victims are “lakhs of honest aspirants” and that the government must answer their questions rather than deny the problem. “Repeating claims does not restore the faith of Punjab’s youth,” he wrote.
This follows recent political exchanges. Opposition parties, including Congress, have highlighted alleged irregularities in the Pharmacist exam (for 454 posts), where police busted a high-tech cheating syndicate involving Bluetooth devices, pen cameras, and real-time answer transmission. Candidates reportedly paid large sums (alleged range ₹3.5–13 lakh). Authorities and AAP have described it as organized cheating with electronic gadgets rather than a traditional question-paper leak, with arrests made and action initiated.
Earlier, Congress leaders including state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Pargat Singh alleged a pattern of issues (e.g., PSEB Class 12 English paper, PSTET irregularities, PSSSB Group-B) and demanded accountability, probes, and resignations (including of Health/Medical Education Minister Dr. Balbir Singh in some statements). AAP has rejected the “paper leak” characterization for the pharmacist case and reiterated that no recruitment exam paper leaked under Mann, calling opposition claims baseless.
Mann has previously stated (e.g., in June 2026 while distributing job appointment letters) that Punjab has had no paper leaks since the AAP government took office in 2022, contrasting this with dozens of national cases, and emphasized merit-based recruitment.Pargat Singh has been vocal on exam integrity issues, linking state controversies to national ones like NEET and calling for transparency and accountability. The dispute reflects ongoing political friction in Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, with the opposition focusing on youth employment and recruitment trust.