IYC to intensify nationwide exam protest as demand for Pradhan’s ouster grows

The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) has announced an expanded nationwide campaign against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, intensifying its demand for the dismissal of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The youth wing of the Congress party said it would launch a new phase of protests across several states, accusing the Centre of failing to address recurring concerns surrounding examination leaks, recruitment test controversies and administrative lapses that have affected lakhs of students.

According to the organisation, the campaign will feature torchlight marches, student engagement programmes, district-level mobilisation drives, demonstrations and gheraos in multiple states, including Maharashtra, Telangana, Assam, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Punjab and Tamil Nadu.

The IYC said its national president, Uday Bhanu Chib, would personally lead parts of the campaign by visiting different states and interacting with students and youth groups.

In a statement, the organisation alleged that repeated controversies involving public examinations and recruitment tests had severely eroded confidence in the country's education and employment systems. It also questioned the role of agencies and entities involved in conducting examinations, claiming that concerns regarding transparency and accountability remained unresolved.

IYC in-charge Manish Sharma said students across the country had been subjected to uncertainty and repeated setbacks due to examination-related controversies.

"Young people deserve a fair and transparent system that rewards merit. Instead, they continue to face disruptions caused by paper leaks and administrative failures," Sharma said, adding that the organisation would continue its agitation until responsibility was fixed and action taken against those it holds accountable.

Chib accused the government of failing to adequately address students' grievances despite repeated demands from opposition parties and student groups. He alleged that recurring examination controversies had jeopardised the future of many aspirants preparing for government jobs and higher education opportunities.

"We are taking this movement to every corner of the country. The campaign will continue until the government is compelled to take responsibility and remove the education minister," Chib said.

As part of the next phase of the agitation, the IYC plans to organise "Halla Bol" marches, student interaction sessions and demonstrations outside the residences of BJP leaders and chief ministers in various states.

The issue of examination integrity has remained politically contentious in recent years, with several opposition parties raising concerns over paper leaks and recruitment test irregularities. Student organisations have also staged protests demanding stronger safeguards and greater transparency in examination processes.

The Union Education Ministry has previously stated that it has undertaken multiple reforms aimed at strengthening examination systems, enhancing security protocols and improving transparency in recruitment and entrance examinations.

The IYC's latest mobilisation is expected to add momentum to the continuing political debate over the conduct of public examinations and the accountability of institutions responsible for overseeing them.

With PTI inputs