Govt sheltering 'exam mafia': Cong

The Congress today accused the government of sheltering the "exam mafia" that it said has taken over the examination system in the country and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why he has not apologised for the CBSE paper leaks yet.

The main opposition party took a jibe the NDA dispensation, saying how a government which cannot keep even a question paper safe, can ensure the safety of the nation.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also stepped up his attack on the prime minister over the CBSE leaks, saying he would now write a sequel to his book "Exam Warriors" to teach students stress relief after their lives were "destroyed" due to paper leaks.

Mocking the prime minister on Twitter, Gandhi attached a photograph of of Modi playing with children.

"PM wrote Exam Warriors, a book to teach students stress relief during exams.

"Next up: Exam Warriors 2, a book to teach students and parents stress relief, once their lives are destroyed due to leaked exam papers," he tweeted.

The prime minister had also talked about fighting exam stress in his "Mann ki Baat" programme ahead of the board exams.

Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal said it is the first time in the country's history that a question paper has been leaked in this manner and asked if the prime minister was "not concerned" about lakhs of students being forced to take the exams again.

"When the government cannot keep the question papers safe, how will it secure the country...The manner in which the question paper has been leaked, no one has taken responsibility for it. This is a very serious issue," he said.

"20 lakh kids have to take the exam again. Is the prime minister not concerned? No one feeling sorry. The children have taken to the streets and no one is saying even sorry. Is he arrogant that he is not feeling sorry?" he said.

Under whose pressure, Sibal asked, the government changed the pattern for setting examination papers under which different question papers were set for different parts of the country.

"Why did the government change the patter of setting question papers. Under whose instructions was the old practice changed," he asked. "The exam mafia has taken over the country's examination system."