Congress leader cites paper leaks, student suicides and soaring coaching costs as he calls for sweeping reforms in India’s education and examination system
Kota: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign from Rajasthan’s coaching hub, Kota, using the platform to sharply criticise the government’s handling of competitive examinations, particularly the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy.
Addressing a large gathering of students, Gandhi linked the cancellation of NEET-UG and the scheduled June 21 re-test to broader issues plaguing India’s education system, including rising financial burdens, uncertainty and mental stress among aspirants.
“Students and their families spend nearly Rs 3.5 lakh crore every year preparing for just five examinations—NEET, JEE, SSC, UPSC and RRB,” Gandhi said. He claimed the amount is “almost three times the Union education budget.”
Calling the current system a “recovery mechanism”, Gandhi alleged that families are being forced to bear costs that should be the state’s responsibility. “In return, millions of young people get stress, uncertainty, unemployment and shattered dreams,” he said.
The Congress leader also referred to recent student suicides, including those of Umesh Mali in Rajasthan’s Sikar and Riya Kumari Thapa in Dehradun, arguing that such tragedies reflect deep-rooted problems within the examination ecosystem.
The Congress has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and announced protests in Prayagraj, Patna and Delhi. The BJP, however, dismissed the campaign as politically motivated and timed to coincide with the NEET re-examination.
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