Alleges paper leaks, rising costs leaving youth disillusioned; seeks reforms
Srinagar, June 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) on Monday launched a sharp attack on the country’s education and recruitment system, alleging that repeated paper leaks, rising unemployment and escalating costs of competitive examinations have pushed the youth into deep uncertainty and frustration.
As part of the party’s nationwide campaign “Chhatron Ki Goonj”, the Congress held a press conference in Srinagar, where leaders expressed concern over what they described as a growing crisis in the education sector and the deteriorating prospects for unemployed youth.
Addressing the media, JKPCC District President Srinagar Dr Mir Audil said the education system in India was “in the ICU”, accusing the government of failing to protect the future of students. He said that despite India being one of the youngest nations in the world, unemployment levels remain high due to what he termed a “broken and exploitative system”.
“We worked hard, but the system betrayed our trust. Students spend years preparing, pay heavy fees, and still face paper leaks and recruitment scams. Examinations are no longer a mechanism of selection but of rejection,” Dr Audil said.
He highlighted the financial burden on aspirants preparing for competitive examinations such as NEET and other entrance tests, saying coaching and exam-related expenses had become unaffordable for many families.
“The dreams of lakhs of students are being crushed. Youth are not just demanding jobs, they are demanding a fair, transparent and merit-based system,” he said.
Raising concerns over accountability, Dr Audil questioned the lack of guarantees for students despite their hard work and preparation, asking who would be responsible if the system continues to fail them.
The Congress leader also accused the government of maintaining silence over repeated paper leak incidents and recruitment irregularities, saying the situation has severely impacted the morale of young aspirants across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir.
The party demanded strict action against exam mafias, transparent recruitment processes, affordable education, and stronger safeguards to restore public trust in institutions.
Congress leaders said they would continue to raise issues related to unemployment, education reforms and youth welfare under the ongoing “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign.
