Ahmedabad, June 25 (IANS) The future of students across India is under threat due to repeated examination irregularities and failures in the country’s testing system, the Congress party alleged on Thursday as it launched its nationwide “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign in Ahmedabad.

The 40-day campaign, which will run across 28 major cities, seeks to mobilise students, job aspirants and youth groups around concerns over examination paper leaks, recruitment delays and the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Addressing a press conference, former Maharashtra minister and MLA Satej Patil alleged that the BJP government’s policies had jeopardised the future of lakhs of students.

He demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and called for an investigation into alleged links between those responsible for examination paper leaks and political figures.

“The future of many students is under threat because of the corrupt policies of the BJP government,” Patil said.

He described the campaign as a platform for students and job aspirants whose efforts had been undermined by paper leaks, cancelled examinations, delayed results and stalled recruitment processes.

Patil alleged that confidence in the examination system had been severely damaged following the NEET-UG controversy.

“Students are not asking for favours. They are only demanding fair examinations and recruitment within a fixed timeframe,” he said.

During the programme, Congress leaders paid tribute to Kahan Patel of Gujarat, whom they described as a talented student who allegedly died by suicide after becoming “disheartened” following the NEET paper leak controversy.

Party leaders also referred to reports of several student suicides across the country linked to examination-related distress.

“More than 89 examination paper leak cases and examination scandals have emerged in recent years, but no major masterminds or networks behind them have been exposed. Accountability must be fixed at the national level when trust in national examinations is affected,” Patil said.

Ahmedabad city coordinator Shesh Narayan Ojha alleged that paper leaks had become a recurring national problem rather than isolated incidents.

Citing figures from the party, he claimed that 89 paper-leak cases had been reported in the country over the past decade, affecting at least 6.5 crore candidates.

“Nearly 48 examinations had required re-tests, while 22 had been cancelled before being conducted,” he said.

Ojha called for a comprehensive overhaul of the examination system, including scrutiny of examination processes, paper-setting mechanisms, printing, transportation, examination centres, digital systems and vendor contracts.

He also demanded the implementation of a fixed annual examination and recruitment calendar with pre-announced dates for examinations, results and appointments.

As part of the campaign, Congress will conduct pamphlet distribution drives, street-corner meetings and student outreach programmes in 28 cities from June 30.

Weekly programmes, campus outreach activities and “Ambedkar Samvad” events are planned throughout July.

The party also announced plans to stage demonstrations outside the Collector’s offices in all 28 cities on August 1.

The first phase of the campaign will conclude with a “Delhi Chalo” mobilisation on August 9, when students from across the country are expected to gather in the national capital to present their demands to the government.

State party spokesperson Dr Manish Doshi also criticised the state of education in Gujarat. “The state faces a shortage of more than 40,000 teachers, and around 3,000 schools are operating with only a single teacher,” he claimed.

He further accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in Gujarat of weakening the education sector and undermining teachers’ rights.

–IANS

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