When the NEET paper leak allegations first surfaced, I stood firmly with the students.
And I still do.
No student who spends years preparing for a single examination deserves to wonder whether merit still matters. When paper leaks become a recurring headline, they don’t just compromise an examination—they destroy faith in the system.
The students were right to demand accountability.
They were right to demand a transparent examination system.
They were right to demand that those responsible be punished.
And yes, if there were failures within the system, demanding accountability from those in charge was entirely justified.
A democracy should never be afraid of students asking questions. In fact, it should encourage them.
But Somewhere, the Protest Changed
Every successful movement has one defining characteristic—it remains focused on its original cause.
The NEET protests began as a movement for education reforms. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the spotlight appeared to shift. Instead of focusing solely on paper leaks, examination reforms, and accountability, the conversation increasingly revolved around ideology, politics, and personalities. Whether that shift happened naturally or because different political groups saw an opportunity is something people can debate. But one thing is difficult to ignore—the original issue was no longer the only issue dominating the headlines.
Whenever that happens, a movement risks losing the moral clarity that gave it strength in the first place.
Protest Is a Right. Violence Is Not.
Let me make my position absolutely clear.
If students march to Parliament…
If they raise slogans…
If they demand answers…
If they organise peaceful demonstrations…
I will defend their democratic right to do so every single time. But the moment a protest crosses the line into violence, vandalism, or threats against public institutions, it weakens its own moral position. If individuals damage public property, attack police personnel, or threaten democratic institutions, those actions deserve condemnation—regardless of who commits them. A movement fighting for justice cannot justify lawlessness.
BJP Supporters Need to Stop Looking in the Rear-View Mirror
Now let me say something equally important. Many BJP supporters seem to have only one response whenever something goes wrong.
“Congress did it too.”
“This happened fifteen years ago.”
“This also happened under previous governments.”
Enough.
The BJP has now governed India for twelve years. After more than a decade in power, comparisons with previous governments cannot become the answer to every criticism. If a seventeen-year-old student has allegedly lost his life because of examination-related distress, telling the grieving family that similar incidents happened years ago offers neither comfort nor justice.
Governments are elected to solve problems—not merely explain why they existed before.
The Government Misread the Mood.
In my opinion, this is where the BJP made its biggest political mistake. The government initiated investigations. Arrests were made. Committees were formed. Administrative changes followed.
But in today’s world—particularly among young Indians—perception travels much faster than official files. The generation that spends hours every day on social media expects visible action, constant communication, and immediate accountability. Silence creates rumours. Delay creates anger. A communication vacuum creates narratives. By the time the government begins explaining itself, social media has often already delivered its verdict. Politics today is fought not only in Parliament but also on mobile phone screens.
The Protest Also Needs Introspection
At the same time, those leading the movement must ask themselves an uncomfortable question. Did the movement remain entirely about students? Or did broader ideological and political interests begin occupying the same stage? Whenever a public movement allows unrelated political messaging to dominate, it risks alienating people who supported its original cause. Many Indians who sympathised with the students became uncomfortable when attention shifted away from examination reforms towards wider political narratives. Whether that perception is entirely fair or not, it exists. And perceptions matter. Those leading the movement should seriously consider whether they are protecting the students’ cause—or allowing others to redefine it.
Politics Never Misses an Opportunity
Indian politics has one consistent feature. Every major public movement eventually attracts political parties. That is neither surprising nor new. Opposition parties naturally seek to highlight issues that put the government under pressure. The ruling party naturally seeks to defend itself. Both are doing politics. The real challenge for any citizens’ movement is ensuring that politics does not become bigger than the cause itself. Once that happens, public sympathy begins to divide along party lines, and the original issue gets buried.
A Message to the Government
The BJP should not underestimate the political significance of this moment. The youth of India are watching. Their opinions are being shaped every day by social media, YouTube, Instagram, and independent creators. Winning elections is one thing. Winning the confidence of the next generation is another. This generation demands speed. It expects transparency. It wants accountability. If governments do not respond quickly enough, someone else will define the narrative for them. That is a political reality every government—regardless of ideology—must understand.
My Final Thought
The NEET controversy was never supposed to become a battle between the BJP and the Opposition. It was supposed to be about students. It was supposed to be about merit. It was supposed to be about restoring trust in India’s examination system. The students deserved answers. The government needed to act faster. The Opposition had every right to question the government—but not to allow the issue to become just another political battlefield.
Those leading the movement had an equally important responsibility: to ensure that the students’ cause remained bigger than any ideology, organisation, or political ambition.
Because the day a students’ movement stops being about students…
…it begins losing the very people who stood with it from the beginning.
Vikrant Meena Hemant Joshi.
www.vikrantjoshi.com
