Rahul Gandhi Demands Exam System Overhaul at Dehradun Rally

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi led the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' rally in Dehradun on July 17, 2026, addressing over 10,000 students despite heavy rain. Gandhi called for a political consensus to end the "paper leak industry," alleging that 7.5 crore students have been affected over the last decade and that 152 examinations were compromised without a single conviction. He claimed a wealthy minority uses "menu cards" to purchase exam papers, effectively stealing the futures of honest middle-class and poor aspirants.

Gandhi demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and called for the National Testing Agency and university vice-chancellors to be independent of political influence. He advocated for a student-centric model featuring randomized question papers and secure question banks. He further highlighted a dire employment crisis, noting that only one in 150 aspirants secures a job while the corporate and manufacturing sectors remain inaccessible.

The event was marked by political friction. The Government of Uttarakhand revoked permission for the original venue at Parade Ground, citing a conflicting official event. This forced the Congress party to move the rally to Bannu School Ground. While Congress leaders termed the move a dictatorial attempt to intimidate Gandhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party maintained that the original application omitted Gandhi's participation and the venue was required for the Lok Samvardhan Parv. The rally is part of a nationwide campaign launched in Kota, Rajasthan, which the Indian National Congress will continue through its youth and student wings.