In an article titled “An Education System’s Collapse, Young India’s Trauma,” Gandhi said the nationwide protests led by students reflected deep frustration over alleged examination irregularities, shrinking public investment in education, and rising unemployment among graduates. She alleged that instead of engaging with students, the government had chosen repression.
Referring to the police action against protesters in Delhi on July 20, Gandhi described it as “a day of infamy,” alleging that Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces used lathicharges, tear gas and pellet rounds against peaceful demonstrators.
“The Narendra Modi government has responded to their courage with cowardice and wanton cruelty, treating them not as inheritors of the future but as enemies of the nation,” she wrote, claiming that many students sustained injuries during the police action.
She criticised what she described as attempts to portray the agitation as politically motivated, saying the protests were a spontaneous expression of anger by young people demanding accountability and reforms in the education system.
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Criticism of Education Policies
Gandhi argued that the Centre had steadily weakened public education by reducing government spending and encouraging privatisation.
She claimed that the proportion of the Union Budget allocated to school education had been halved while spending on higher education had declined by one-third over the years. According to her, the closure of nearly one lakh public schools and the expansion of private institutions had made quality education increasingly inaccessible for students from economically weaker backgrounds.
She also alleged that families were being forced to spend heavily on coaching for competitive examinations such as NEET, placing enormous financial and psychological pressure on students.
Questions Over Examination System
The Congress leader also questioned the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), alleging that the country’s examination system had become overly centralised and dependent on private contractors.
She claimed that India had witnessed 152 examination paper leaks over the past 12 years, including nine allegedly linked to examinations conducted by the NTA since its establishment in 2017. Gandhi alleged that repeated examination irregularities had undermined merit and eroded students’ faith in the system.
According to her, even talented students were being denied fair opportunities because of systemic failures in the conduct of examinations.
“The Modi government has not just degraded India’s education landscape but has also made a habit of acting with utter impunity, supreme self-delusion, and abject insensitivity. India’s students have called the Modi regime’s bluff. It is our moral, political, and constitutional… pic.twitter.com/h03A71ov6u
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 24, 2026
Unemployment and Growing Frustration
Linking the protests to broader economic concerns, Gandhi said graduates continued to face high levels of unemployment despite years of academic preparation. She argued that limited employment opportunities and increasing competition had compounded the stress faced by students and young professionals.
“The student protests are a natural consequence of today’s bleak education landscape and the government’s unwillingness to be accountable,” she wrote.
Appeal for Dialogue
Calling for a change in the government’s approach, Gandhi urged the Centre to engage with students through dialogue instead of force.
She alleged that the government’s response to dissent had followed a pattern seen during previous protests involving farmers, university students, and wrestlers, and said it was the constitutional and moral responsibility of political parties and civil society to stand with students demanding transparency and educational reforms.
The Centre has maintained that it is committed to strengthening the integrity of competitive examinations and has initiated discussions on reforms following the recent protests. The government has also stated that allegations relating to examination irregularities are being investigated and that necessary action will be taken wherever wrongdoing is established.
