Rachamalla Siddeshwar

Thetwelve years of BJP rule at the Centre have pushed India’s education system into deep crisis. Students patiently waited for years in the hope that the government would introduce meaningful reforms, but the NEET examination paper leak proved to be a devastating blow to those expectations. Instead of acting firmly against those responsible for the leak, the Union Government allegedly attempted to suppress student protests through police action, including baton charges and the use of tear gas

When we speak of a nation’s future and development, the first thing that should come to mind is its youth. The greatest asset of any country is its young population. Providing quality education, equal opportunities, and secure employment to young people is the foremost responsibility of any government. However, the growing controversies surrounding India’s education system, repeated examination paper leaks, delays in recruitment, and rising unemployment have severely shaken the confidence and aspirations of the country’s youth.

As the protests intensified across the country, the Narendra Modi government eventually bowed to mounting public pressure, leading to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. With the Centre accepting the key demands of protesting students, the Congress describes the outcome as a moral victory for India’s youth. It also credits Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for playing a significant role in supporting the student movement.

Under the authoritarian rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s education sector has been pushed into an unprecedented crisis. The BJP government’s policies have encouraged excessive corporate influence in education, transforming learning into a commercial enterprise. The increasing corporatization of education, coupled with repeated leaks of entrance and recruitment examination papers, has seriously eroded students’ faith in the system. As education becomes increasingly expensive, quality learning is no longer seen as a fundamental right but as a commodity that only those with financial resources can afford.

The 2026 NEET controversy has become the defining symbol of this crisis. Following the alleged paper leak, more than two million students were thrown into uncertainty. The decision to reconduct the examination imposed enormous emotional, financial, and psychological burdens on thousands of families. Students, the Congress, and several opposition parties demanded that the Union Government accept moral responsibility and sought the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Instead of addressing these concerns constructively, the government, prioritized suppressing the protests.

The NEET paper leak triggered widespread anxiety among students, with reports suggesting that some candidates took the extreme step of ending their lives. As nationwide protests gathered momentum, Delhi’s Jantar Mantar emerged as the focal point of the student movement. Protesters demanded transparency in examinations, stringent action against paper leak networks, and fairness in recruitment processes.

Rather than engaging in dialogue, the Centre allegedly responded with police action, including baton charges and tear gas, provoking further public anger. Ultimately, however, the resilience and determination of the students compelled the government to respond to their demands.

Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, actively supported the student movement. Even before the NEET controversy reached its peak, he had launched the nationwide “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign in June to amplify the voices of students and expose what he described as the failures of the Union Government. His effort sought to transform student grievances into a national conversation and push for structural reforms rather than political gains.

Educational standards have steadily deteriorated during the BJP’s twelve years in power. It claims that more than 150 major examination papers have been leaked across the country during this period, affecting nearly 75 million students. Central Government of reducing allocations for school education and higher education while allowing corporate interests to dominate the education sector.

More than 100,000 government schools have shut down while over 43,000 private schools have been established. The ideological considerations have influenced curriculum revisions and appointments in educational institutions. Rahul Gandhi’s campaign for educational reforms has awakened young people across the country, causing discomfort within the government. Rahul Gandhi and several Congress Members of Parliament were detained while attempting to question the Prime Minister over these issues.

Employment remains another area where, the Union Government has failed India’s youth. The BJP’s 2014 election promise of creating two crore jobs annually has, it argues, remained unfulfilled. Millions of educated young people continue to struggle with unemployment, while many others are forced to accept jobs unrelated to their qualifications because of the widening gap between education, skills, and employment opportunities.

Young people are central to India’s nation-building process. Their confidence can only be restored through transparent examination systems, quality public education, timely recruitment, and equal opportunities for all. To ensure that students’ dreams are not destroyed by paper leaks, unemployment, and corruption, comprehensive reforms in the education system have become imperative. The Congress maintains that it will continue its struggle until fairness in examinations, credibility in recruitment, and accessible quality education become a reality for every student.

The Congress also believes that young people should not merely participate in politics but should have the opportunity to shape it. In this context, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has proposed that the minimum age for contesting elections to legislative bodies be reduced to 21 years and announced his intention to move a resolution in the Telangana Legislative Assembly to that effect. The proposal has generated considerable enthusiasm among young people.

Safeguarding the aspirations of India’s youth is not the responsibility of any one political party alone; it is a national obligation essential to securing the country’s future. Congress will continue to champion the cause of students and young people. The resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a political victory for the Congress, but rather as a victory earned by the students themselves.

(The writer is Chairman, Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan, Telangana)