India's youth uprising: When exam reform becomes a fight for democracy

By Raj Kumar Sinha* 

The discontent over India's education and public recruitment examination system has now taken the shape of a wide-ranging social and political movement. For nearly a month, thousands of students and young people have been protesting peacefully. Their central demand is that accountability be fixed for the deepening crisis in the education system and in public recruitment and competitive examinations, and that transparency and credibility be restored to the examination process.

Over the past decade, more than 90 cases of paper leaks in central and state-level examinations have come to light across the country, affecting nearly 7.5 crore candidates. These include NEET-UG, UGC-NET, SSC, and various state police and teacher recruitment examinations. India's youth population aged 15 to 29, numbering roughly 34.5 to 37.1 crore and making up about 27 percent of the country's total population, is directly or indirectly connected to this system. Repeated cancellations of exams, delays in appointments, and questions raised over the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) have thrown the futures of millions of young people into uncertainty. Behind every cancelled exam and every leaked paper lie years of hard work, families' financial investment, mental stress, and broken dreams. This is why the movement has not remained confined to exam reform alone but has become linked to broader questions of youth employment, inflation, and future security.

The movement gained widespread national support after environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar for three weeks demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and reform of the examination system, was taken to hospital by police. Following this, students called for a march to Parliament.

Candlelight marches, sit-ins, and demonstrations are being held in many cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, and Bengaluru. The Sikh community and several other social organisations have arranged food for the protesters. Large numbers of ordinary citizens have also expressed solidarity with the movement by sending food and other essential supplies. This humanitarian support has given the movement a further dimension of social empathy.

On July 20, clashes broke out between Delhi Police and protesters during the march to Parliament. Police used tear gas, baton charges, and other forms of force. Several protesters and police personnel were injured. Protesters alleged that excessive force was used against them, while police maintained that necessary action was taken to preserve law and order. Protesters also alleged that some people in plain clothes attacked demonstrators, and that electrified and nail-studded batons were used at the barricades. Police have also been accused of using pellet guns. Demands are being raised for an independent investigation into these allegations.

The government deployed additional security forces in the Jantar Mantar area, temporarily shut down several metro stations, and turned the entire area into a security cordon. The central government has sent 3,000 additional armed police personnel to handle the ongoing protests at Jantar Mantar, a step taken at the request of Delhi Police. Sensitive parts of the capital, from Jantar Mantar to Parliament House and the surrounding areas in particular, have been turned into what amounts to a fortress, with heavy deployment of police forces. Beyond the physical cordon, Delhi's security has also been fully equipped with modern technology. Despite this, large numbers of students reached the protest site again the next day and declared their intention to continue the struggle.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with several other opposition leaders, protested in support of the demonstrators and were arrested. Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Arvind Kejriwal, and Sanjay Singh, among other leaders, reached Jantar Mantar to express support for the movement. In Parliament too, the opposition protested against the police action and demanded the resignations of Home Minister Amit Shah and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Amnesty International and several other human rights organisations expressed concern over the use of force during a peaceful protest and stressed the need to respect democratic rights.

The Indian Constitution grants every citizen the right to peacefully and non-violently express their views and to hold sit-ins and demonstrations. Protesting students say their fight is not about any single exam or recruitment process, but about establishing transparency, fairness, and accountability across the entire education and recruitment system. Their key demands include comprehensive reform of the examination system, swift and strict action in paper leak cases, timely completion of recruitment processes, fixing accountability within the National Testing Agency, and restoring public trust in the education system.

This movement is no longer just a question of examination reform. It has become a national issue tied to the future of the youth, employment, and the accountability of governance. If the government engages in dialogue with the protesting students and takes concrete, time-bound decisions on their demands, the situation could ease and a path could open for reform of the education system. If, on the other hand, attempts continue to suppress the movement only through police force and administrative control, the discontent among the youth could widen further. In such a scenario, this movement could grow into a nationwide student-youth campaign, drawing in various social and political organisations, and increasing pressure for institutional reforms on Parliament, the judiciary, and the government.

In a democratic system, the most effective solution to any crisis is dialogue, transparency, and accountability. In the time ahead, it will be dialogue between the government and the protesters, the restoration of trust, and concrete steps toward education reforms that determine whether this struggle moves toward confrontation or becomes the foundation for positive change in India's education system.

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*With Bargi Dam Displaced and Affected Persons' Association