Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voice of Students’ campaign targets India’s exam system

ISLAMABAD: Thousands of students have joined the first congregation of the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ mega rally, a campaign led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, to highlight concerns among students and young job aspirants about examination irregularities, paper leaks, unemployment, and rising education costs, according to Indian media. 

The initiative, organized by the Indian National Congress, aims to create a platform where students preparing for competitive examinations can directly raise their concerns and suggest reforms, according to party leaders. The Congress has described the campaign as a student-focused movement rather than an electoral program, while opposition critics have questioned its political intent.

The first major ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ convention was held on June 17 in Kota, Rajasthan, a city known as a hub for competitive exam coaching. It was followed by a second convention in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, on July 17. Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to address students in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, where the program faced uncertainty after a venue cancellation was later reversed. 

What is ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’?

"Chhatron Ki Goonj," meaning “the voice or echo of students,” is a Congress-led outreach initiative focused on issues affecting students preparing for college entrance exams, civil services exams, and recruitment exams.

The campaign was created in response to growing student anger over allegations of examination paper leaks, cancelled recruitment processes, delays in government hiring, high coaching expenses and limited employment opportunities.

At the conventions, Rahul Gandhi has positioned the program as an opportunity for students and their families to share experiences and participate in discussions on how India’s education and examination systems should be reformed.

The Congress has said the purpose of the initiative is to build pressure for changes in the education system and ensure that students’ voices are included in policymaking.

Rahul Gandhi calls education system “exploitative”

Addressing thousands of students in Kota, Gandhi criticized what he described as an education system that places a heavy financial burden on families while failing to provide adequate employment opportunities.

He said India’s education system had become an “extortion machine” and argued that it needed fundamental reform.

Gandhi said millions of students spend large amounts of money preparing for competitive exams but face extremely limited opportunities for government and salaried jobs.

He cited competitive examinations as an example, saying millions of students compete for a small number of positions after spending years and significant resources on preparation.

“The education system is not designed to help students realize their dreams,” Gandhi said, arguing that it largely directs young people toward a limited set of traditional career paths such as engineering, medicine, civil services, law and defense services.

He also criticized the growth of private education and coaching centers, saying students often have to pay school fees, college fees and coaching expenses without any guarantee of employment.

Paper leaks and exam reforms at the center of campaign

A major focus of "Chhatron Ki Goonj" has been allegations of examination paper leaks.

During the Dehradun convention, Rahul Gandhi called for a national consensus to prevent paper leaks and questioned the government’s response to reported cases over the past decade.

He said paper leaks undermine the efforts of honest students who prepare through hard work and create an unfair advantage for those who gain access to examination papers illegally.

He argued that India’s examination system was outdated and needed to be redesigned for the 21st century with students at its center.

Students, families share experiences

During the conventions, Gandhi invited students and families affected by examination controversies to share their experiences.

In Dehradun, he brought on stage Rajesh Kumar, the father of Riya Kumari, an entry exam aspirant who died by suicide after the cancellation of an examination following a paper leak controversy.

Kumar urged Gandhi to raise the issue of affected families in Parliament and criticized the lack of government support and accountability.

Gandhi also referred to the case of Akanksha, another exam aspirant who died by suicide after a paper leak controversy, saying students should not be pushed into such situations because of failures in the system.

Political controversy over Prayagraj event

The next "Chhatron Ki Goonj" program in Prayagraj faced a dispute after permission to use the sports ground of Kayasth Pathshala College was withdrawn.

College authorities cited academic concerns and referred to an Allahabad High Court order emphasizing that student activities should not be disrupted.

The Congress alleged that attempts were being made to prevent Gandhi’s interaction with students.

Gandhi said students at Allahabad University were protesting against fee increases and seat reductions and accused authorities of filing cases against them instead of addressing their concerns.

The venue issue was later resolved after permission for the event was restored.

Congress’ broader objective

The Congress has presented "Chhatron Ki Goonj" as part of its broader effort to engage with young voters and highlight issues of education, employment and economic opportunity.

The party says the campaign seeks to collect student feedback and push for reforms that reduce financial pressure on families, improve transparency in examinations and expand employment opportunities.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has not endorsed Gandhi’s claims and has previously accused opposition parties of using student concerns for political purposes.