‘Rules for Thee, Not for Me’: Priyank Kharge’s ‘I’ll Resign Too’ Remark Over Exam Lapses Sparks Political Row

A fresh political controversy erupted in Karnataka after Home Minister Priyank Kharge said he was ready to resign over alleged lapses in the state’s police recruitment examination, but only under circumstances similar to those that unfolded during the nationwide protests over the NEET examination controversy.

His remarks came amid protests by police recruitment aspirants and growing criticism over the conduct of the examination, while the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) denied allegations of any procedural irregularities.

Priyank Kharge Draws Parallel with NEET Protest

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Kharge said he had no objection to stepping down, but referred to the sequence of events that preceded the resignation of the former Union Education Minister during the NEET controversy.“I will resign, but first let the aspirants go on a 25-day hunger strike, lathicharge them, and then I will resign, just as they did after the NEET paper leak,” Kharge was quoted as saying by PTI.

His statement has triggered political debate, with opposition leaders accusing the minister of trivialising the grievances of recruitment aspirants.

KEA Rejects Allegations of Examination Irregularities

Earlier in the day, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) issued a clarification after several candidates reportedly walked out of examination centres during the Police Constable Recruitment Examination held on August 2.

The examination was conducted to fill 1,453 vacancies for Male and Female Civil Police Constables across the state.

According to KEA, confusion arose because false information circulated on social media claiming that the OMR sheet number and the question paper number were required to match.

The authority categorically denied the claim.

In its official statement, KEA clarified that candidates were only required to correctly fill in the Question Paper Series Code and Version Code on the OMR sheet.

It further emphasised that there is no rule requiring the OMR sheet number and the question paper number to be identical, urging the public not to spread misleading information online.

Candidates Walk Out Amid Confusion

Reports suggest that confusion over the alleged mismatch between OMR sheets and question papers prompted several aspirants to leave examination centres before completing the test.

The incident quickly gained attention on social media, leading to allegations that procedural lapses had affected the recruitment process.

However, KEA maintains that the confusion was created entirely by misinformation circulating online rather than by any error in the examination system.

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Kharge Earlier Addressed Dress Code Rumours

Before the examination, Priyank Kharge had also responded to rumours claiming that candidates would not be allowed to wear religious attire during the recruitment test.

In a post on X, he clarified that no such restriction had been imposed and appealed to aspirants not to believe false information.

Kharge stated that the Congress government had made comprehensive arrangements to conduct the examination in a fair, transparent and organised manner.

He reiterated that the recruitment process was designed to safeguard the interests of candidates while ensuring complete transparency.

Political Debate Intensifies

Kharge’s comments have added a political dimension to the controversy, with comparisons being drawn between the Karnataka recruitment examination and the nationwide protests that followed the NEET examination controversy.

While the Karnataka government insists that the recruitment examination was conducted without procedural lapses, the opposition has demanded greater accountability and clarity over the confusion reported at several examination centres.

The issue is expected to remain politically sensitive as authorities continue to address concerns raised by candidates.