Former Education Minister and AICC Secretary MLA Pargat Singh, former Cabinet Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and former MLA Kushaldeep Singh "Kikki" Dhillon addressed a significant press conference in Chandigarh today regarding the alleged cheating scam in the Punjab 454 Pharmacist Recruitment Examination, comparing it to the NEET-UG paper leak.
They raised serious questions about the Punjab Government, demanded the resignation of Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, and called for a high-level investigation into the matter.They said that these incidents have jeopardized the future of thousands of young aspirants, yet the government has failed to fix accountability.
They pointed out that Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh has not even issued a single statement on the matter. They also accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Delhi leadership of maintaining complete silence, while actively engaging in politics over the NEET issue in Delhi.
Pargat Singh said that the allegations surrounding the 454 Pharmacist Recruitment Examination—including the operation of a cheating racket, the use of Bluetooth devices, the absence of signal jammers at examination centres, and violations of examination protocols—are extremely serious.
He noted that the police FIR itself records several significant facts, making an impartial investigation even more necessary. According to him, such a large-scale scam could not have occurred without government involvement. He alleged that the scam took place under the nose of Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and the local MLA.
The former Education Minister shared details of the alleged cheating scam at Baba Farid University in Faridkot. He alleged that the entire operation was a well-planned conspiracy in which Speaker Sandhwan and the local MLA were fully involved.
According to him, they entrusted the responsibility to Principal Deepak, who allegedly appointed his own relatives—including his sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and others—to examination duties. Pargat Singh claimed to possess documentary evidence supporting these allegations and accused them of influencing the examination process to ensure that selected candidates passed.
Pargat Singh further alleged serious irregularities in the selection of examination centres, deployment of staff, and security arrangements. He demanded that the role of all officers and employees accused of violating rules be investigated impartially and that strict action be taken against anyone found guilty.
He said the most unfortunate aspect of the matter is that Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh has not issued any clear statement. If such a major controversy has emerged regarding medical education and the recruitment process, the concerned minister must be held accountable.
Similarly, he criticized Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains for remaining silent despite recurring controversies in the education sector and the problems being faced by teachers.Referring to the alleged suicide of a professor from Khalsa College, Amritsar, Pargat Singh said that dissatisfaction among teachers and academicians is steadily increasing.
He stated that if a professor is allegedly driven to such an extreme step due to harassment, or if professors feel compelled to write to the government about mental pressure, it reflects a deeply worrying state of the education system. He also alleged that Dr. Balbir Singh has remained completely silent on this issue and is unwilling to respond.
Pargat Singh said that the Congress views this issue not as a political matter but as a question concerning the future of lakhs of young people. He stated that while the NEET-UG paper leak affected lakhs of students across the country, the alleged 454 Pharmacist Recruitment scam has shattered the trust of thousands of young people in Punjab.
Instead of protecting those responsible, strict legal action should be taken against them.He demanded a high-level, independent investigation into the entire matter and called for the identification of the cheating mafia as well as all those who allegedly provided them with protection, followed by stringent legal action against them.