Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated on Tuesday that the Indian education system has reached a stage where exam material leaks have become commonplace. He emphasized that this issue affects millions of students and requires political consensus to be resolved.
Addressing a youth engagement event called 'Chhatron Ki Gunj' in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, he clarified that the meeting was not a political rally but was dedicated to discussing the problems, difficulties, and future of the youth.
The Raebareli MP reported that over 75 million students have been affected by material leaks in the last ten years. He noted that 152 cases were registered, yet no convictions were recorded.
Gandhi asserted that the entire educational system, from top management to lower levels, is involved in these schemes, utilizing advanced technology for cheating. He stated that with such large sums of money, any leak scenario can be chosen.
The Congressman called for the formation of a political consensus to stop the leaks, insisting that all political parties must implement measures to protect students. He also advocated for reforming the testing system, calling the existing model outdated and requiring a transition to a 21st-century system.
He proposed changing the approach from government-centric to student-centric, involving the use of secure question banks and randomized test versions to prevent leaks. Furthermore, Rahul Gandhi demanded protection and compensation for affected students, as well as immediate re-examinations for those whose tests were compromised.
Regarding educational institutions, he stated that political structures should not control campuses, nor should the rectorate be appointed by representatives of a single organization. Gandhi stressed that no political party or organization should have influence over any educational institution. He concluded his speech with the assertion that the current system only benefits a small segment of the population following the path of leaks, to the detriment of honest and poor students who constitute 99 percent.
The opposition leader in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, stated that the state of Uttarakhand has become an 'epicenter of exam material leaks,' accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of being unable to stop cheating in examinations despite enacting anti-cheating legislation.
Gandhi reported that he raised this issue before the Congress campaign phase 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' began in Dehradun on July 17. In a post on the social media platform X on Thursday, he explained that he is campaigning specifically in Uttarakhand because repeated leaks of examination tickets have undermined the hopes of thousands of job aspirants.
Referring to alleged irregularities in the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) exams, Gandhi asserted that government positions such as Patwari and Lekhpal are no longer awarded based on merit. He stated: 'Because the land of the gods has turned into an epicenter of exam material leaks. In the UKSSSC exam, a 'system' has taken root where posts like Patwari, Lekhpal, or any others are not given based on merit, but according to prices set by criminals.'
The Congress leader also noted that although the government introduced strict laws against cheating, the leaks continued unimpeded. Gandhi emphasized that exam leaks are equivalent to stealing the future of young people who prepare for competitive tests for years. He added: 'This is not a leak—it is theft. The rights of this young person, their livelihood, their future.'
Addressing students and job seekers to join him in Dehradun, Gandhi urged: 'This is your fight, and I am with you. Let us turn 'Echo of Students' into a battle cry. We will not allow the future to be sold. We will not allow dreams to leak.'
The national campaign 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (Echo of Students) was launched by the Indian National Congress in June 2026. This initiative, launched by party leader Rahul Gandhi in Kota, Rajasthan, aims to amplify student voices regarding issues such as exam material leaks, high coaching expenses, mental stress, and unemployment.
Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi leveled accusations on Tuesday regarding new irregularities associated with the UGC-NET exam held last week. He stated that a document containing exam questions was circulated prior to the test and matched numerous questions in the sociology section.
Gandhi also accused the Central Government of inaction despite repeated reports of exam material leaks. In a post on social media platform X, Rahul reported that a 100-page PDF version circulated before the UGC-NET exam. He asserted that this document pertained to materials used in question formulation, which are exclusively available to the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Furthermore, he claimed that approximately 90 questions from this PDF version corresponded to those in the actual sociology exam. Gandhi added that this same examination material was being sold for an amount of 2.25 lakh in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Additionally, he alleged that the same network claimed readiness to provide admit cards for upcoming tests, including CSIR-NET, HTET, and ADA.
Listing all the emerging allegations, Rahul wrote that the serious claims regarding last week's UGC-NET exam are extremely shocking. He noted that just a few weeks after the NEET exam leak, reports began surfacing that a 100-page PDF was distributed right before the UGC-NET exam, and that this PDF concerned question-setting materials accessible only to the NTA.
He emphasized that nearly 90 questions in the PDF matched those in the real sociology exam, and the exam ticket itself was being sold for 2.25 lakh in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan. He also mentioned that the same network claimed the ability to provide tickets for future exams such as CSIR-NET, HTET, and ADA.
Expressing doubt about the government's response to the alleged leaks, Rahul stated that students are being deprived of accountability and fairness. He criticized the government, asserting that 'even after repeated scandals in NEET and NET, the Modi government continues to turn a blind eye and sleep soundly, because the years of hard work invested by hundreds of thousands of students hold no value for them.'
In Gandhi's view, the entire country knows that hoping for any accountability or action from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education is futile, as no investigation will take place, and students will not receive justice. He concluded that the only means of change is the collective voice of students across the nation, which will lead to an educational revolution in India.
