Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, led protests Tuesday outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence and Jantar Mantar [1].

The demonstrations signal an escalation in the political battle over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), as the opposition aligns itself with student activists to challenge the government's educational administration during the Parliament monsoon session [2].

Gandhi held a live press conference and an indefinite dharna to support student protesters. He demanded a formal parliamentary debate on the NEET exam, an official apology from the government, and the resignation of Prime Minister Modi [1, 3].

"If youth are on the streets, the opposition should be too," Gandhi said [4].

Other Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, and activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the demonstrations [1, 2]. The protests occurred amid reports of police detaining several demonstrators and personnel being injured during clashes [1]. While some reports indicate police denied permission for certain protest marches and banned large gatherings, other accounts note that demonstrators were able to return to Jantar Mantar after violent confrontations [1, 5].

Gandhi criticized the current state of the education system, describing it as rigged [3]. He said he was willing to face government pressure, stating, "Happy to take more punches" [3].

Financial criticisms were also central to the discourse. Reports cited the cost of one NEET exam at Rs 1.32 lakh crore [2], compared to a total education budget of Rs 1.4 lakh crore [2].

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan dismissed the protests as a political maneuver. Pradhan said, "Rahul Gandhi is using students as political tools" [6].

“"If youth are on the streets, the opposition should be too."”

The alignment of senior Congress leadership with grassroots student protests transforms a policy dispute over exam integrity into a broader challenge to the Prime Minister's authority. By linking the cost of the NEET exam to the total national education budget, the opposition is attempting to frame the issue not just as a technical failure, but as a systemic financial and administrative crisis.