By AMIT KUMAR
Congress launches a nationwide campaign against examination paper leaks from Uttarakhand, with Rahul Gandhi accusing the BJP-led Centre of failing students and calling for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
Dehradun, July 17, 2026 — Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday led the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj Maha Rally’ in Dehradun, intensifying the Congress party’s nationwide campaign against examination paper leaks and accusing the BJP-led Central government of failing millions of students.
The rally in Uttarakhand follows the campaign’s launch in Kota and marks the Congress’ effort to take its anti-paper leak movement across the country through the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the Youth Congress and state party units.
According to a Congress media statement, the party described the paper leak crisis as a “national epidemic,” claiming that more than 150 examination paper leaks have affected 7.5 crore students and their families while resulting in no convictions against those allegedly responsible.
The Congress said the crisis has imposed severe emotional and financial burdens on aspirants, many of whom spend years preparing for competitive examinations. It claimed that around 9 crore candidates compete annually for nearly 6 lakh government jobs, making the integrity of recruitment examinations crucial.
During the rally, Rahul Gandhi shared the stage with students whose recruitment or entrance examinations were allegedly leaked or cancelled. The Congress highlighted the participation of the father of Ria Thapa, a student who died by suicide, describing the episode as a reminder of the human cost of examination irregularities.
Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi questioned why paper leaks continue despite repeated controversies and alleged that those behind such networks enjoy political protection. He also renewed the Congress demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign, asking how many more examinations must be disrupted before accountability is fixed.
The Congress alleged that an organised network was profiting from examination fraud through what it termed a “System Ka Menu Card,” accusing the government of failing to dismantle the alleged paper leak mafia.
Rahul Gandhi also outlined the Congress’ vision for reforms in the education system, advocating modern testing mechanisms, stronger institutional accountability, a student-centric approach, and measures to reduce what the party described as excessive privatisation and ideological interference in education.
The Congress said its campaign against examination paper leaks will continue both on the streets and in Parliament, urging students and young people to join the movement under the slogan: “Save education, save your future.”
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