India
-Oneindia Staff
Rahul Gandhi’s planned interaction with students in Kota has turned an education-sector controversy into a direct political clash between the Congress and the BJP. The Congress leader is scheduled to address a student convention at Shri Ram Rangmanch in Dussehra Ground at 5.30 pm on 17 June 2026, amid renewed debate over alleged exam irregularities and paper leaks.
The event comes days before the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled for 21 June, after the 3 May test was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak. The Central Bureau of Investigation is examining the matter. For Kota, where thousands of students prepare for medical and engineering entrance tests, the timing has made the programme both sensitive and politically significant.
Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address students in Kota on June 17, 2026, amid controversy over NEET-UG exam leaks and ahead of the June 21 re-examination, highlighting political tensions between the Congress and BJP over educational issues.
Kota student convention puts exam leaks back in focus
The Congress has framed Gandhi’s Kota visit as the first major step in a wider outreach to students and young voters. Party leaders say the campaign will focus on paper leaks, examination mismanagement, cancelled recruitments, rising fees, privatisation concerns and unemployment. The choice of Kota is deliberate, given the city’s status as India’s largest coaching hub.
Kota hosts around 1.2 lakh students preparing for competitive examinations, including NEET and JEE. For many families, the city represents years of savings, migration and pressure built around a single entrance test. Any disruption to examination credibility, therefore, carries emotional, financial and academic consequences far beyond one cancelled paper.
Gandhi sharpened his attack on the Union government ahead of the event, saying the future of young Indians was the government’s responsibility. In a post on X, he accused the Narendra Modi government of using “paper leaks, exam mismanagement, cancelled recruitments, skyrocketing fees, privatisation, and scams” to shatter the dreams of crores of young people.
“My young and Gen Z friends, one thing is clear to me, and I want you to engrain this in your heart as well: securing the future of every young Indian is the government’s responsibility. Yet, both responsibility and integrity are concepts alien to the Modi government,” Gandhi wrote, adding that he wanted to discuss these concerns directly with students.
Congress prepares youth outreach in Rajasthan
Congress workers have been mobilising support across Kota ahead of the convention. A Mahila Congress meeting was held at the party office in Gumanpura, where leaders discussed ward-level responsibilities and student outreach. The party wants the event to be seen as a platform for young people rather than a routine political rally.
Mahila Congress national secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Deepti Singh, City District Congress Committee president Rakhi Gautam and Mahila Congress city president Shalini Gautam were among those involved in the preparations. Party workers have been asked to contact students and young residents across the city and encourage participation in the interaction.
Deepti Singh said Kota was linked to the aspirations of lakhs of students from across India. She argued that alleged NEET irregularities, doubts over examination systems and unemployment had become urgent concerns for young people. Shalini Gautam said the programme was intended to bring student voices to a national platform.
The Congress is also trying to place the Kota event within a larger political argument. It has repeatedly attacked the Centre over the credibility of competitive examinations and recruitment processes. By taking the issue to a coaching centre city, the party is seeking to connect national allegations with the daily anxieties of students and parents.
BJP says Congress is politicising students’ concerns
The BJP has accused Gandhi and the Congress of using the issue for political gain at a time when students should be focused on the re-examination. BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that the programme had been organised to mislead students and create controversy before the 21 June test.
“When students want to study and rewrite their exam, why is it that you and your leaders are threatening students and other stakeholders?” Bhatia asked. He further claimed that the protest was backed by a “toolkit gang” and accused Gandhi of playing with the future of students preparing for the examination.
The BJP has also sought to turn the argument back on the Congress by referring to paper leak cases reported during the previous Congress government in Rajasthan. Bhatia asked whether the party had apologised to students affected by those incidents. BJP workers also staged a protest in Kota, saying students should not be distracted before the examination.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot accused the administration of removing hoardings related to Gandhi’s programme. He said the alleged action showed nervousness in the BJP and claimed there was a political conspiracy to weaken the event. The charge added another layer to the confrontation before Gandhi’s address.
