ISLAMABAD: Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the government of being responsible for student deaths linked to exam pressures and repeated paper leaks, calling the crisis a “murder by the system.”
In a strongly worded statement, Gandhi referred to the death of 21-year-old NEET aspirant Ritik Mishra from Lakhimpur Kheri, who reportedly broke down after his exam was cancelled. He also cited another case in Goa, where a student preparing for the same exam took his own life.
“These children didn’t lose to the exams—they were killed by a corrupt system,” Gandhi said, blaming systemic failures and alleged corruption in competitive examinations.
Highlighting the scale of the issue, he claimed that between 2015 and 2026, at least 148 exam scams had surfaced, with 87 exams cancelled and nearly 90 million students affected. He further alleged that despite multiple investigations by agencies, including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, accountability remained absent.
Gandhi also criticized the lack of punitive action against officials, alleging that those implicated were often removed and later reinstated to higher positions. “Those who steal the future are rewarded, while students lose their lives,” he said.
Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi questioned how many such incidents would be needed to ensure accountability, while assuring students that their concerns would be taken up.
He pledged continued political and legal efforts to hold those responsible accountable, vowing that justice would be pursued “no matter how long it takes.”
