Punjab Pharmacy Exam Scam Sparks Resignation Row

A major controversy has erupted in Punjab after a sophisticated cheating operation was uncovered during the Pharmacy Officer Recruitment Examination conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) on July 19, 2026. The incident has triggered political pressure on state Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who offered to resign just two days before Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down over separate NEET-UG protests.

How the Cheating Racket Worked

Unlike a conventional pre-exam paper leak, investigators say this was a real-time electronic breach. Candidates allegedly used hidden camera pens, micro earpieces, and coordinated interstate control rooms to receive answers while the exam was actually underway. Authorities acted swiftly, arresting 35 people, including seven alleged organisers, and recovering 27 wireless devices, spy pens, and SIM cards used in the operation.

Political Fallout and Selective Outrage

Bains has maintained that the episode reflects successful detection of organised cheating rather than institutional failure, noting the accused were caught red-handed during the exam itself. Even so, opposition parties, including Congress, BJP, and the Shiromani Akali Dal, have demanded his resignation, drawing comparisons with Pradhan’s exit. Amid the debate, actor Shweta Tiwari publicly questioned why the protest platform Cockroach Janta Party, vocal about national-level exam issues, has stayed silent on Punjab’s scandal. She asked why Bains hasn’t faced comparable scrutiny despite offering to step down voluntarily. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has pushed back against opposition claims, insisting no examination paper has actually been leaked under his government’s tenure, framing the incident instead as a cheating attempt that was intercepted before it could compromise the exam’s integrity.

The controversy continues to unfold as political parties spar over accountability standards.