Protesters and activist Sonam Wangchuk have launched a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar following a leak of Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test papers [1].
The unrest highlights systemic vulnerabilities in India's competitive examination process and the growing political pressure on the central government to ensure academic integrity.
Demonstrators in New Delhi are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The protests follow allegations of widespread misconduct regarding the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in Maharashtra [1]. While the protests continue in the capital, police in Pune have extended the custody of two suspects, Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary, in connection with the leak [1].
Separately, authorities in Uttar Pradesh are investigating the misappropriation of donation money intended for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team has conducted a probe into the missing funds, which has led to the arrest of eight officials [1].
These arrests have also triggered a series of resignations among officials linked to the temple's financial management [1]. The investigation focuses on how donation funds were diverted or stolen, creating a second wave of legal scrutiny for state authorities this week.
Both the exam leak and the temple fund investigation have drawn national attention to governance failures. The hunger strike led by Wangchuk emphasizes a demand for accountability that spans from state-level administrative errors to the management of high-profile religious donations [1].
“Protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.”
The simultaneous occurrence of a high-stakes exam leak and a financial scandal involving the Ram Mandir suggests a period of heightened instability and public distrust in administrative oversight. By linking the TET leak to a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, activists are attempting to elevate a regional educational failure into a national referendum on the Education Minister's leadership.
