Rahul Gandhi Launches Nationwide Student Conventions to Spotlight Exam Leaks and Youth Unemployment

Congress leader to begin outreach campaign from Kota on June 17, raising concerns over NEET controversy, recruitment delays and education reforms ahead of key political battles.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is set to launch a nationwide student outreach campaign beginning June 17 in Kota, Rajasthan, as the Congress seeks to mobilise young voters around issues of examination integrity, education reforms and unemployment.

The campaign will feature a series of large-scale student conventions across major educational hubs, with events scheduled in Kota on June 17, Allahabad on July 10, Patna on July 11 and Delhi on July 14. According to Congress leaders, the initiative aims to provide a platform for students, job aspirants, educators and youth organisations affected by examination irregularities and recruitment delays.

The outreach drive comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over national examinations, including the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination following allegations of a question paper leak. The re-examination is scheduled for June 21. The campaign also follows recent debates surrounding digital security in examination systems and broader concerns about transparency in recruitment processes.

Congress has said the conventions will focus on issues affecting students and young job seekers, including examination leaks, delayed recruitment, rising education costs and unemployment. The party plans to use the events to gather feedback from students and highlight what it describes as systemic shortcomings in the education and recruitment ecosystem.

Among its key demands, Congress has called for the decentralisation of NEET, abolition of examination fees, stronger legal action against paper leak networks and greater accountability in examination administration. The party has also renewed its demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging failures in ensuring fair and transparent examinations.

The campaign will be coordinated by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Youth Congress, Pradesh Congress Committees and local party units. Activities will include campus visits, interactions at coaching centres and universities, social media campaigns, digital outreach initiatives and live screenings of key events.

Congress leaders say the conventions are intended to bring together students across political affiliations and create a national conversation on education, employment and the future aspirations of India's youth. The campaign is expected to intensify political debate over examination reforms and youth welfare in the coming weeks.