After Dharmendra Pradhan, Shweta Tiwari Demands Punjab Education Minister’s Resignation

Why Punjab Education Minister Offered to Resign Amid Pharmacy Exam Cheating Row

Just two days before Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains offered to step down amid mounting political pressure over a high-tech cheating racket uncovered during a state recruitment examination.

Following Pradhan’s exit, actor Shweta Tiwari questioned why the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which spearheaded protests over alleged examination irregularities at the national level, was not demanding similar accountability in Punjab.

Here’s what the controversy is about.

What Is the Punjab Pharmacy Exam Cheating Case?

The controversy stems from the Pharmacy Officer Recruitment Examination conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) on July 19, 2026.

According to investigators, it was not a pre-exam paper leak. Instead, authorities uncovered a sophisticated real-time electronic cheating network that allegedly transmitted questions and answers while the examination was in progress.

Investigators say some candidates used camera-equipped smart pens to secretly photograph question papers shortly after the exam began. The images were allegedly sent via WhatsApp to handlers outside the examination centres.

The questions were then forwarded to professional solvers operating from locations including Haryana. Candidates inside the examination halls allegedly received answers through hidden Bluetooth earpieces after connecting with handlers over concealed communication devices.

Police Crack Down on Cheating Network

Punjab Police and BFUHS flying squads detected the alleged operation during the examination and launched an immediate crackdown.

Authorities arrested 35 people, including alleged organisers and candidates accused of cheating. Police also recovered spy pens, wireless communication devices, SIM cards and financial documents allegedly linked to the racket.

The opposition described the incident as a major failure in the recruitment process and demanded resignations from senior ministers.

Why Did Harjot Singh Bains Offer to Resign?

Amid the political backlash, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said he was prepared to resign if it would improve the education system.

“If my resignation can improve the education system, I am ready anytime.”

However, Bains maintained that the incident was a case of organised electronic cheating rather than a paper leak. He argued that the accused were caught because government agencies successfully detected the racket during the examination itself.

Opposition parties have also sought the resignation of Punjab Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, citing moral responsibility for the alleged irregularities.

Shweta Tiwari Questions CJP

After Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, actor Shweta Tiwari reshared a video of CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke and questioned why similar protests had not been launched in Punjab.

Her post asked when the Punjab Education Minister would resign and when CJP would organise demonstrations in the state, triggering a wider political debate over whether accountability was being applied uniformly across governments.

What CM Bhagwant Mann Said

Responding to the controversy on Sunday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann rejected allegations of a paper leak.

He said the state government had not witnessed a single paper leak during its tenure, describing the incident as an attempted electronic cheating operation that was detected within minutes.

According to Mann, authorities identified suspicious activity at two examination centres, caught candidates allegedly using Bluetooth-enabled devices, arrested those inside and outside the examination halls, and dismantled the network charging candidates between ₹3 lakh and ₹5 lakh for assistance.

The AAP government has maintained that the arrests demonstrate the effectiveness of its enforcement mechanism, while opposition parties continue to argue that the incident exposes serious vulnerabilities in the state’s recruitment process.