Students of Classes 11 and 12 staged a protest in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district on Monday against the National Testing Agency (NTA), alleged paper leak cases, and the examination system, while demanding greater transparency in examinations. The students submitted a memorandum addressed to the President and the Central Government through the district administration.
The students gathered at the district collectorate carrying a cockroach symbol, along with posters, placards, and memoranda. Through posters, slogans, and memes, they expressed their opposition to the examination system and demanded transparency, reforms, and fair recruitment examinations.
The protesters said the cockroach symbol represented a system in which, according to them, irregularities and paper leak incidents continue despite repeated concerns. They called for accountability in the education system while conducting the protest peacefully.
During the protest, students displayed posters and raised slogans questioning the examination system and alleged paper leak cases. They demanded measures to ensure the credibility of examinations and the establishment of a system that would provide justice to students who prepare through hard work. According to the students, repeated alleged paper leak incidents have affected the future of millions of candidates.
A brief argument took place at the protest site when a woman teacher questioned the students about leaving school to participate in the demonstration and asked whether they had obtained permission from the school administration. The students responded that they had joined the protest voluntarily and had not been compelled by anyone.
The students said that if the examination process is not fair despite their efforts and incidents such as paper leaks occur, continuing to study alone cannot secure their future. They stated that they were raising their demands for reforms in the education system through democratic means.
As the argument intensified, activists of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) intervened. They said that peaceful protest is a constitutional right of every citizen and that students have the right to raise issues concerning their future. The activists appealed to the students to continue their protest peacefully. The situation returned to normal shortly afterwards, and the woman teacher left the site.
Following the protest, the students submitted a memorandum addressed to the President and the Central Government through the District Collector. The memorandum sought action on various issues related to the examination system, including ensuring transparency in the examination process, fixing accountability in alleged paper leak cases, and implementing comprehensive reforms in the examination system. It also requested government intervention on other education-related issues.
The memorandum included three principal demands. The first sought accountability for alleged irregularities in the examination system. The second called for a review of the functioning of the National Testing Agency and the implementation of a more transparent examination system. The third demanded the release of social activist Sonam Wangchuk and permission for students to conduct peaceful marches. The students said these demands were aimed at improving the education system and protecting democratic rights.
The source content states that concerns among students and parents have increased in recent years over alleged paper leak cases and examination-related controversies in various competitive examinations. It also states that questions have been raised about the credibility of examination processes in several states, leading to continued demands for a transparent and secure examination system. According to the source, education experts have said that technological safeguards, stricter monitoring, and time-bound investigations should be strengthened to maintain students' confidence in the examination process.
The protest in Jhunjhunu was presented by the participants as an effort to register their demands through democratic means. The students used creative methods to express their concerns while calling for a fair and transparent examination system.
