Paper leaks: Rahul Gandhi slams govt, calls education system 'broken'

Rahul Gandhi slammed the Centre over exam paper leaks, criticising PM Modi's apathy towards students and grieving families. He said students are owed an apology, not forgiveness, and called for accountability for the 'broken education system'.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed the central government over recurring competitive exam failures and paper leaks. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of apathy toward grieving families and devastated students.

In a post on X, Gandhi said that behind every young life lost was a family carrying pain and raised questions over the education system. "Nothing is more painful than seeing a parent grieve their child. Behind every young life lost is a family carrying pain that will never leave them - and serious questions about a broken education system," he wrote.

He alleged that students were being asked to work honestly despite what he described as an unfair system. "Leaked papers. Cancelled exams. Years of preparation destroyed overnight. Our students are told to work honestly in a system that is not honest with them," he said.

PM has 'audacity' to speak of 'forgiving' students: Gandhi

Gandhi's remarks emphasise that instead of offering conditional forgiveness or rhetoric, the political leadership must take direct moral and administrative accountability for the trauma inflicted on students and their families. "And the Prime Minister has the audacity to speak of 'forgiving' students. He has not met a single grieving parent. He has not sat with a single student whose future was stolen by a leaked paper," Gandhi said.

Gandhi further said that students did not need the Prime Minister's forgiveness and instead were owed an apology. "India's students do not need his forgiveness. They are owed his apology," he said.

The strong rebuke comes in the wake of widespread anger among students and families over recurring paper leaks, abrupt examination cancellations, and systemic delays that have derailed the academic and professional futures of lakhs of aspirants nationwide. The opposition has continuously targeted the government over accountability in handling high-stakes competitive examinations, framing the crisis as a failure of institutional governance.

Government's legislative action

In a bid to curb examination paper leaks, Parliament passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The legislation introduces stricter penalties, mandates time-bound investigations and provides for fast-track courts to tackle paper leaks and other examination malpractices across the country. (ANI)

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