Following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the political controversy over examination irregularities has expanded beyond the Centre to Punjab. The opposition in the state is now demanding the resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. The controversy stems from the pharmacy recruitment examination conducted by Baba Farid University, where several candidates were allegedly caught cheating with Bluetooth devices, digital gadgets, and other electronic equipment. Police launched an investigation and arrested multiple individuals in connection with the incident. (Image: File Photo/X)

The Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) argue that the incident reflects a serious failure of the examination system rather than an isolated case of cheating. Opposition leaders contend that if accountability was fixed at the Centre over examination-related issues, similar standards should apply in Punjab. (Image: X/@harjotbains)

Harjot Singh Bains hails from Gambhirpur village in Sri Anandpur Sahib tehsil of Punjab’s Rupnagar district. He completed his schooling in Ludhiana before earning a BA LLB (Hons.) degree from Panjab University. He also attended the London School of Economics and Political Science for a short-term course in International Human Rights Law. A practicing lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Bains became the founding president of the Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab unit at the age of 23. (Image: X/@harjotbains)

The Punjab government has strongly denied the opposition’s allegations. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated that no examination paper has been leaked in the state during the past four and a half years. According to him, the pharmacy recruitment examination involved a case of cheating rather than a paper leak, and authorities detected and acted against the offenders in time. Bains also maintained that no paper leak had occurred in any examination conducted under his department. He added that if his resignation would genuinely improve the education system, he was prepared to resign immediately, but emphasised that Punjab’s reputation should not be harmed through what he described as a distortion of facts. (Image: X/@harjotbains)

The issue gained traction on social media after Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Actress Shweta Tiwari shared a video on her Instagram story asking when the Punjab Education Minister would resign. Her statement triggered viral debates regarding selective political outrage and uniform accountability across different state governments. (Image: X/@harjotbains)