DELHI: Protests in India led by students have escalated on Thursday, despite promises made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of action after multiple incidents of leaking of exams papers have brought questions to the credibility of the exam system in the country. There are thousands of Indian Gen Z Protesters camping out in New Delhi, making what is just an incident a big challenge for the government of Modi.

The scenes being generated in New Delhi will be very familiar to the audiences of Pakistan, as they share common concerns about leaked exam papers, botched recruitment tests, and youths losing confidence in state institutions. The movement in India is a story that holds regional significance and has echoes of similar problems in Pakistan.

Paper Leak Leads to a Movement

The disturbances can be linked to an alleged medical entrance test leakage that led to more than two million people taking another exam. As stated by Madhu, a 21-year-old protester who spoke to AFP at the protests' main site, the paper leak only served as the first step. "The paper leak was just the spark, and CJP has become the platform through which people can protest." 

The Cockroach Janta Party, which Madhu referred to, is an online group that facilitated the movement. She further stated that the protests' site has become a platform for Gen Z protesters in India to raise other issues, such as unemployment and lack of freedom of speech.

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Families Send Their Children to the Frontlines

The protest has gained supporters way beyond the capital city. Aarohi Singh, aged 23, travelled to New Delhi at night with the blessing of her family and a duffel bag in tow without any return tickets. Her sister had to sit for the leaked medical test twice but couldn't clear the second attempt as well. "I am fully aware of the efforts that my parents made in order to prepare her, but after the leakage of the question paper, she became demotivated and shattered," Singh stated.

Hope, Fear and the Derailed System

These protests have been a rare space for them where they can rebel. Kunal Suryavanshi, an engineering student of 17 years old from Madhya Pradesh, took the effort to come here because he wanted to be around people who can express their opinions. . In comparison, the law student Yuvraj, aged 24, wore a mask to conceal his identity, because he feared the threat of surveillance, "The state is always watching us and so we can’t risk anything" he added that even an application for a government job test was leaked.

A Test for Modi’s Government

It has been observed that the magnitude and endurance of the protests have presented a challenge in a rather unusual way to the Modi-led government. Since the Indian Gen Z protestors seem determined not to back down despite threats from the government about a crackdown, it is now time that the government addresses the issues being raised.