Rahul Gandhi led a symbolic candlelight march at Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi on June 3, 2024, to protest an alleged NEET paper leak [1, 2].

The demonstration highlights growing political pressure on the government to address systemic corruption in national examinations and the resulting impact on student mental health.

Gandhi was joined by approximately 30 MPs from the Congress party and the INDIA bloc [2]. The protest focused on the May 2024 NEET examination, where allegations of leaked papers sparked nationwide outcry [2]. Protesters carried candles and mobile-phone flashlights as they marched through the memorial site [1, 2].

"We stand with the students and demand accountability for the NEET paper leak," Gandhi said [1].

The vigil served as a tribute to students who reportedly died in the fallout of the examination controversy. Reports indicate that two students died in connection with the leak [2]. The participants sought to draw attention to the desperation of candidates facing a compromised testing system.

Student activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the call for reform during the events. "The loss of young lives over a corrupt system is unacceptable," Wangchuk said [2].

The march concludes a series of escalations by opposition leaders seeking a transparent investigation into how the exam papers were compromised and who was responsible for the breach [1, 2].

“"We stand with the students and demand accountability for the NEET paper leak."”

This mobilization by the INDIA bloc transforms a public health and education crisis into a central political battleground. By linking the NEET leak to the loss of student lives, the opposition is attempting to frame the government's administrative failures as a moral crisis, increasing the pressure for a high-level judicial probe into the National Testing Agency.