Updated on: 22 Jul 2026
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre, alleging that India’s education system has become “rigged” and claiming that 152 examination paper leaks have occurred over the last 10 years without a single conviction.
Wearing a black armband to protest the police action against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters, Gandhi said millions of students and their families were bearing the consequences of a failed examination system. He asserted that an education system once regarded among the best in the world had now lost its credibility.
The Rae Bareli MP also questioned the police action against students demanding accountability in the conduct of examinations and seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
“What wrong have students done? Why are security personnel pointing weapons at them, beating and humiliating them?” Gandhi asked, adding that Pradhan should be removed from office as he was “incapable” of handling the responsibility.
His remarks came a day after he was detained by Delhi Police during a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence over the alleged NEET paper leak and the police crackdown on CJP protesters. The demonstration demanded Pradhan’s resignation. Visuals from the protest showed Gandhi being dragged away by police personnel and sustaining a bleeding nose.
Defending the protest, Gandhi said attention should remain focused on students rather than the treatment he received during the police action. He said the Prime Minister should apologise to students, adding that he was unconcerned about how he was treated and that the real issue was ensuring justice for young aspirants.
He maintained that the students had staged a peaceful protest and were asking only for a fair and transparent education system. According to Gandhi, they deserved an examination process that functioned honestly and without repeated irregularities.
Highlighting the emotional impact of recurring paper leaks, Gandhi said many students had endured immense stress after years of preparation, with some even taking their own lives when examinations were compromised at the last moment. He described the situation as a national crisis rather than isolated incidents.
Calling it a systemic failure, Gandhi reiterated that 152 paper leaks had taken place over the past decade—roughly one every month—while claiming that the government had failed to secure a single conviction in any of the cases.
He further alleged that nearly 7.5 crore students and their families, particularly those from middle-class and economically weaker backgrounds, had been affected by repeated examination leaks.
Gandhi said families invest their hard-earned savings in their children’s education only to see their hopes shattered due to repeated irregularities. He alleged that those responsible for the leaks were destroying India’s education system and jeopardising the future of millions of students, while the government had failed to ensure accountability.
He said this was the central reason behind the ongoing protests, arguing that students were not making unreasonable demands but were simply seeking responsibility and transparency in the examination process.
Referring to the financial burden of competitive examinations, Gandhi claimed that the amount spent by families on preparing for a single major examination was comparable to the government’s annual education budget, reflecting the enormous economic pressure faced by aspirants.
Gandhi has repeatedly demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing the government of failing to protect the integrity of public examinations. He has maintained that repeated paper leaks have severely eroded public confidence in the education system and put the future of millions of students at risk.
Meanwhile, the BJP criticised Gandhi’s protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence, calling it “childish” and accusing him of attempting to create an “atmosphere of anarchy” despite Parliament being in session. The ruling party also staged a counter-protest condemning the Congress demonstration.
