By Our Political Correspondent / NEW DELHI
Launching a frontal attack on the NDA government over recurring examination irregularities, the Congress party on Friday claimed that India’s education system has been systematically reduced to a “commercial commodity,” devastating the mental health of students and destroying the sanctity of national competitive exams.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and NSUI In-charge Dr. Kanhaiya Kumar demanded the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan—whom he dubbed the “Leak Pradhan”—and called for a complete ban on the National Testing Agency (NTA).
A Systemic Collapse: Errors, Swaps, and Scams
Highlighting a series of recent institutional failures, the Congress leader pointed out that the crisis extends far beyond the contentious National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
“Over the past month, the state of the country’s education system has dominated timelines. We saw an Odisha textbook describing Albert Einstein as a pilot, and in Rajasthan, students were shockingly handed answer sheets instead of question papers. How can an ‘Uneducated India’ become a ‘Developed India’?” Kumar questioned.
The opposition party alleged that the government has turned education, a fundamental right, into a joke meant only to benefit a select few. Kumar alleged that institutional appointments are driven by sycophancy rather than merit. “If you know the right ministers and chant slogans, you can become a Vice-Chancellor or the Director of the NTA. The government system is being systematically dismantled to promote lateral entry, snatching away the dreams of hard-working youth aspiring to clear the UPSC,” he said.
Mocking the Government’s Crisis Management
The Congress fiercely mocked the government’s recent decision to restrict the messaging app Telegram as a countermeasure against leaks, comparing it to an absurd policing tactic.
“Banning Telegram implies the thieves are unaware of WhatsApp, Signal, or email,” Kumar said. “It is akin to a theft occurring in a village and the police inspector deciding to remove the streetlights instead of catching the thief. Catch the thief! The source of the theft is the NTA.”
Crisis of Faith and Student Distress
The party expressed deep concern over the psychological toll the examination uncertainty is taking on aspirants, noting that the ongoing controversy involves a hastily arranged NEET re-examination within a single month due to systemic failures.
According to the Congress, government statistics reveal a grim reality:
- Two young individuals commit suicide every hour in India.
- More than a dozen student suicides have been directly linked to recent paper leak anxieties, particularly around NEET.
- Over 80 documented instances of paper leaks have occurred under the current regime, spanning the CBSE, SSC, and various state boards.
Kumar lambasted the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, as an empty gesture, noting it fails to outline remediation steps after a leak occurs or offer real prevention strategies.
“Parents are mortgaging their homes and gold to educate their children, yet there is zero guarantee of a fair exam or subsequent employment,” Kumar concluded, urging the Prime Minister to break his silence and review the comprehensive presentation on educational reforms prepared by Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi.