Chandigarh: Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday said he was ready to resign if stepping down would help improve the state’s education and examination system, rejecting opposition criticism over alleged irregularities in the pharmacy examination.
Bains made the remarks after the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded his resignation following his participation in the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
The opposition has accused the Punjab government of failing to prevent large-scale cheating during the pharmacy examination and held the state administration responsible for the alleged irregularities.
Responding to the allegations, Bains said his resignation was not important if it helped strengthen the education system.
“I entered politics alone in 2011, and I also went alone to Jantar Mantar. If my resignation can improve Punjab’s education system, I am ready to resign today,” he said.
The minister maintained that the alleged irregularities in the pharmacy examination were detected by the Punjab government itself and were not covered up.
“We identified the irregularities ourselves and initiated strict action. Our intention is to clean up the system, not to hide wrongdoing,” he said.
Calling the opposition’s criticism politically motivated, Bains said the state government follows a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, paper leaks and cheating, and remains committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the examination system.
