New Delhi/Chandigarh, July 21: Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal criticized the official response to youth demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, where thousands gathered to demand structural reforms in the national examination system following irregularities in the NEET testing process. Reacting to reports of police lathi-charges, internet suspensions, and barricading around Connaught Place and Janpath, the former Delhi Chief Minister stated that central authorities should engage in direct dialogue rather than deploying force against peaceful student gatherings.
The central issue stems from recurring paper leaks and subsequent evaluation discrepancies in national competitive examinations. Both Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann expressed solidarity with the candidates, noting that exam compromises disproportionately penalize dedicated candidates from working-class backgrounds who spend months preparing.
Addressing the central administration, Arvind Kejriwal affirmed that political leadership must set aside institutional rigidity to hear public grievances directly.
“These are the children of our own country,” Arvind Kejriwal asserted. “Sit down with these young people and talk to them. The government first allows their examination papers to be leaked, and when the examination is conducted again, there are serious irregularities in the evaluation process. Where are these students supposed to go?”
Echoing these concerns, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann maintained that the system severely disadvantages students who study up to 14 hours a day only to find testing materials compromised beforehand. Mann declared that his government stands fully behind the protesting youth in their pursuit of administrative accountability and exam integrity.
