RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Defends Student Protests and Reservations

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat defended students protesting irregularities and alleged paper leaks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) during a series of events in New Delhi and Mumbai on August 6, 2026. Bhagwat characterized the grievances of Generation Z as genuine and rejected claims that the protesters are anti-national, describing protest as a legitimate democratic method for dialogue and system correction.

Speaking at a youth summit hosted by the International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) in Mumbai, Bhagwat addressed the continuation of caste-based reservations. He stated that affirmative action must persist as long as social inequality and discrimination exist, citing the vision of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. However, he urged affluent beneficiaries to voluntarily relinquish their quotas to allow more underprivileged citizens to benefit and cautioned against the political weaponization of the system, which he claimed creates societal bitterness.

On education reform, Bhagwat advocated for increasing the national education budget to six percent and argued that education should not be treated as a commercial business. These remarks follow the resignation of the Union Education Minister and the passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.

Bhagwat also touched upon foreign policy and labor, suggesting that while the government must maintain a firm stance against Pakistan and China, people-to-people ties should not be permanently severed. He further urged a shift toward entrepreneurship and the dignity of labor to address unemployment in manual and menial sectors.