DC Edit | Sonam’s Historic Fast Ends, Focus on Education Minister Now

It is pleasing that Sonam Wangchuk has given up her indefinite fast. The sacrifice made by the Ladakh activist by going on a hunger strike for 26 days may have served its purpose in drawing national attention to the issue of ‘NEET’ exam. It literally forced a response from an unresponsive government that had no regard for a popular youth movement triggered by anger over the compromise of the integrity of a key national medical entry test that began 48 days ago.

Addressing the issue after a dramatic escalation of protests, which had their origins at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and spread internationally, the government has bent on intense crisis management, proposing that those who leaked exam papers be punished through fast-track trials under an amended law, and agreeing to another demand by the protesting students of the Cockroach Janta Party not to charge the protesting students with the law.

The government’s action may not have been timely to prevent a massive national demonstration showing youth dissatisfaction over the breach of exam integrity, which was by no means limited to just Neet and again offended over a million students. But the education minister, whose call to resign was rejected, appears to be moving quickly to make up for lost ground in credibility.

The government was ready to redirect a senior bureaucrat who doubled down on his education at school and university but did not even think of calling for his resignation, or even shuffling through the portfolios of his minister, whose own department had failed so visibly due to glitches in the conduct of numerous exams. The call for Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan’s head has now become the crux of the issue with the political opposition coming into play.

Police brutality against young demonstrators, including the controversial use of pellet guns, may have been partly due to protests devolving into chaotic riots and stone-throwing, but it is India’s youth who are most affected and not the lumpen or antisocial elements who may have used the opportunity to vent their frustrations.

The Prime Minister may have even tried an Instagram-type video to reach out to Generation Z, who are disillusioned with the education system. In his fight to stem growing opposition to the ruling party, the Prime Minister may have pushed the button for corrective measures to be taken, but a timely investigation may have ensured that eager students did not feel cheated by the unfairness of a crucial exam.

Having dealt with the protests and the Opposition trying to cash in on the popular opposition movement, what needs to be done is to spearhead concrete reforms in the examination system, which, given India’s IT proficiency, should pose little difficulty in shifting to robust computer-based testing methodology. What is even more needed is a complete overhaul of NEET; This cannot truly measure merit if the rural student is treated equally with the repeat candidate prepared by the coaching institute.

Transparency in acknowledging that the police have been overzealous in policing, a willingness to accept that it is possible to reassess the future of a minister, no matter how politically valuable, and a readiness to debate with Opposition leaders on the need to resolve the problems and get Parliament functioning again should be the formula that can bring some kind of closure.

Alienating the youth is not an option for anyone who wants to lead the nation, and apologizing to the youth for their troubles will only enhance the leader’s reputation.