Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the central government on Sunday regarding the recent CBSE evaluation process controversy, particularly concerning the treatment of students who voiced concerns. He claimed these students were unfairly labeled as “Pakistanis.”
The controversy gained traction after a student, Vedant, reported that an answer sheet uploaded by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) under his roll number was not his. Following the complaint, the CBSE acknowledged the error and subsequently provided the correct Physics answer sheet.
In a post on X, Kharge contended that both CBSE students and NEET aspirants were suffering due to what he termed the government’s failures in the education sector. “They set out to create ‘Exam Warriors’, but instead branded them as ‘Deep State Agents’ and ‘Pakistanis’. Whether it is 17-year-old CBSE candidates or NEET aspirants, the Modi government has trapped the nation’s youth in the web of its corruption, conspiring to dismantle the country’s education system,” Kharge stated.
He further asserted that institutions traditionally known for fostering talent have been declining under the BJP-led government. “There was a time when IITs, IIMs, Central Universities, and National Institutes nurtured the nation’s talent. Now, due to BJP’s mismanagement, we can’t conduct even a single Board Examination properly,” he said.
Kharge accused the government of undermining educational institutions and stifling student voices, listing various grievances. “Look at any institution—they ruined the UGC, unleashed a politics of vendetta in JNU and other Central Universities, removed historical content from NCERT textbooks, suppressed student movements, ideologically influenced Vice Chancellor appointments, shut down over 90,000 government schools, and continually reduced the education budget,” he claimed.
His comments coincided with a day when Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met with CBSE Class 12 students who had been labelled “anti-national,” “Pakistani,” and “Soros agents” on social media after they raised concerns about incorrect answer sheets.
Continuing his critique, Kharge alleged that young people who speak out are routinely targeted and denied justice. He reiterated the Congress party’s call for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. “Whenever the youth take to the streets, whenever Gen Z raises its voice, their voices are suppressed, and baseless allegations are thrown at them. The BJP has failed to provide jobs, instead lining their own pockets through recruitment exams and destroying the education system!” Kharge asserted. “I am reiterating once again—seek the resignation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Only then, Modi, will the youth get real justice.”
