Rahul Gandhi (Congress), Leader of the Opposition, said on Wednesday that India's education system is rigged under the current government [1].
These allegations highlight a growing crisis of confidence in national standardized testing and the legal accountability of those who manipulate high-stakes exams.
Speaking during the Parliament monsoon session in New Delhi on July 22 [1], Gandhi targeted the handling of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). He said that there have been 152 paper leaks in a decade [3], yet there have been zero convictions [2].
"India's education system is in tatters," Gandhi said [2].
The Congress MP urged the government to prioritize the concerns of the youth over political disputes. In a video statement, he said, "Treat me worse, but focus on students and NEET paper leaks" [3].
Beyond the Lok Sabha, Gandhi renewed his support for student protesters. Some of these demonstrations have taken place near the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi [1]. The protests are driven by demands for transparency, and a systemic overhaul of how examinations are conducted and secured.
Gandhi's critique focuses on the gap between the frequency of reported leaks and the lack of judicial outcomes. He said that the absence of convictions suggests a failure in the state's ability or willingness to punish those responsible for undermining the meritocratic process [2].
“India's education system is in tatters.”
The focus on NEET paper leaks reflects a broader tension in India regarding the reliability of public examinations. By citing a specific lack of convictions, the opposition is attempting to frame the issue not just as administrative incompetence, but as a systemic failure of the rule of law that disproportionately affects students from marginalized backgrounds who rely on merit-based entry into medical education.
