The nation was in a celebratory mood after the NDA returned to power in a majority of states. The ruling alliance and sections of the media viewed the election results as an endorsement of the government’s policies and leadership. Amid these political developments, however, a different issue emerged that brought attention back to the state of India’s education system: controversies surrounding competitive examinations.
The cancellation of the NEET examination due to allegations of a paper leak came as a shock to more than 22 lakh students. Even before the examination was conducted, concerns and reports had circulated online alleging irregularities. However, many students felt that these concerns were not addressed with sufficient urgency. The subsequent developments reignited questions about transparency, accountability, and the reliability of examination systems.
The issue is not limited to NEET alone. In recent years, several major examinations and recruitment processes have faced allegations of irregularities, administrative lapses, or lack of transparency. Students have increasingly expressed concerns about the credibility of examinations that play a decisive role in shaping their academic and professional futures.
Some examples frequently cited in public discussions include:
- Concerns regarding the conduct and management of certain SSC examinations.
- Questions raised by students and educators regarding aspects of board examination evaluation processes.
- Criticism from aspirants regarding the nature and difficulty level of various competitive examinations.
- Administrative issues affecting university examinations in several institutions, including Lucknow University.
Whether all these concerns are equally justified is a matter for investigation and debate. However, their cumulative effect has been significant: a growing sense of uncertainty among students.
This raises an important question: why does education rarely become a major electoral issue in India?
Political discourse often focuses on infrastructure, welfare schemes, employment, and identity-based concerns. While education is regularly mentioned in manifestos, it seldom occupies the central place in electoral debates that its importance warrants. For millions of students and families, however, education is not merely a public service—it is the primary pathway to economic security and social mobility.
Even after decades of independence, many students continue to pursue education primarily as a means of securing stable employment. Every rupee spent on education is often viewed as an investment whose value will ultimately be measured through employment opportunities. The intense competition for government jobs reflects not only their desirability but also the sense of security they offer in comparison to many private-sector opportunities.
The larger concern is that no nation can fully realize its demographic potential when its youth remain uncertain about their future. Persistent insecurity can limit both individual growth and collective progress.
History offers numerous examples of leaders who, despite lacking formal education by modern standards, possessed remarkable administrative abilities. Their success reminds us that education should not merely be about obtaining credentials; it should cultivate judgment, critical thinking, and practical wisdom.
India currently spends around 4 percent of its GDP on education, a figure that has often been debated by policymakers and scholars. The Kothari Commission had recommended increasing educational expenditure to 6 percent of GDP, a target that continues to feature in discussions about educational reform.
Another concern is the increasing emphasis on examination performance over genuine learning. When students are trained primarily to solve objective questions, broader intellectual development can suffer. This has contributed to the rapid expansion of coaching institutions, which now play a major role in the educational landscape.
The relationship between coaching centres, competitive examinations, and student aspirations deserves serious study. Equally important is understanding how social media, entertainment, and other distractions influence students’ engagement with education. These factors should not be viewed as the sole cause of educational challenges, but they are part of a larger ecosystem shaping contemporary student life.
Education is ultimately not just about employment, examinations, or rankings. It is about developing informed, capable, and confident citizens. If educational concerns continue to remain at the margins of electoral politics, the consequences will be felt not only by students but by society as a whole.
Unlike many opinion pieces, this column does not offer a definitive conclusion. Instead, it ends with a verse by Tulsidas that highlights the enduring value of knowledge, humility, and wisdom:
“तुलसी साथी विपत्ति के, विद्या विनय विवेक।”