New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said incidents such as paper leaks, cancelled examinations and stalled recruitment processes represent more than administrative lapses, describing them as setbacks to the aspirations of millions of young people.

Ahead of his first student convention in Kota, Gandhi said the prevailing situation reflects a pattern in which students are not being rewarded for their hard work.

In a post on X written in Hindi, he said the message being sent to young people today is that effort does not necessarily translate into results.

He added that repeated examination disruptions are not isolated failures but incidents that affect the confidence and ambitions of students across the country.

‘Punishment for daring to dream’, says Gandhi on X

Gandhi wrote that students are not receiving the outcomes of their preparation but are instead facing what he described as consequences for pursuing their goals.

“Every paper leak, every cancelled exam, every stalled recruitment - these are not just failures of the system, but blows struck against the dreams of millions,” he said in his post.

He further stated that many young people are exhausted and angry, and urged them to raise their voices when their concerns are not being addressed.

Call for mobilisation at Kota event on June 17

Gandhi announced a student gathering in Kota on June 17 under the banner “Students’ Echo”, urging young people to come together and make their concerns heard.

He said the initiative aims to build a collective voice that cannot be ignored, beginning in Kota and extending across the country.

He also assured students that the issue concerns their future and that he stands with them in this “fight for their future”.

Congress plans nationwide student campaign on exam issues

The Congress party has said the Kota event will mark the beginning of the first phase of a nationwide campaign focused on alleged paper leaks and examination irregularities.

According to the party, the campaign will involve a series of student conventions addressed by Rahul Gandhi, aimed at bringing together students, aspirants, youth organisations and educators affected by such issues.

Further conventions are scheduled in Allahabad on July 10, Patna on July 11 and Delhi on July 14.

The party said the campaign will highlight concerns over examination disruptions, rising costs and what it described as failures in ensuring transparency in recruitment and education systems.

It added that its student and youth wings, including NSUI and Youth Congress, along with state, district and local units, will carry out outreach as part of the mobilisation effort.