Democracy under test

Across the country, students and young job seekers are raising serious questions about the fairness of public examinations, the integrity of recruitment systems, and the growing shortage of employment opportunities. The controversy surrounding the NEET UG examination paper leak, the questions over the functioning of the National Testing Agency, and the frustration over unemployment have combined to create a deep crisis of confidence. Many young Indians now believe that while they are expected to work hard and follow the rules, the very system meant to reward merit is failing them. The protest march towards Parliament on July 20 reflected this growing anger. Thousands of students and young people gathered to voice their concerns through peaceful democratic means. Instead of receiving assurance that their grievances would be heard, they were met with silence from the government and when they decided to march to Parliament, they were promptly confronted by police action. Such scenes leave a troubling impression. In a democracy, peaceful protest is not an act of rebellion but a constitutional right. When citizens, particularly students, approach the country’s highest democratic institutions seeking accountability, they deserve to be responded to with dialogue rather than force.Climate Change scientist and activist Sonam Wangchuk undertaken fast -unto-death till his health seriously deteriorated and had to be forcibly removed to hospital for treatment after 21 days. These young people were not asking for special treatment. They were demanding transparency, fairness, and equal opportunity. Their message was simple- if examinations and recruitment systems lose credibility, the future of an entire generation is placed at risk. Equally disturbing are the questions raised about the handling of the protest itself. Reports alleging that some individuals deployed during the police operation were not wearing the mandatory name tags , along with claims that unauthorised persons participated in crowd control, deserve an independent investigation. Whether these allegations are ultimately proven or disproven, they cannot simply be ignored. Public confidence depends upon transparency, especially when the State exercises its coercive powers. Law enforcement derives its legitimacy from accountability. Every police personnel performing official duties should be clearly identifiable. If unauthorised individuals were indeed allowed to carry out policing functions, it would represent a serious violation of established procedures and raise fundamental questions about the rule of law. Even the perception that such practices may have occurred damages public trust because citizens must always know who is exercising authority over them and under what legal authority. The government should resist treating this episode merely as a law and order issue. Doing so would avoid the larger and more important questions. The real crisis lies in the credibility of examinations, recruitment processes, and employment opportunities. Young people devote years of effort preparing for competitive examinations with the belief that merit will determine success. Every paper leak, recruitment scandal, or allegation of institutional misconduct weakens that belief. When honest effort no longer guarantees a fair chance, frustration naturally grows. The need of the hour is not confrontation but accountability. An impartial inquiry should examine both the irregularities surrounding public examinations and the conduct of the authorities during the July 20 protest. Every allegation should be investigated fairly, every official action should be explained transparently, and every institution should be held to the same standard of accountability. Protecting the integrity of institutions and respecting the democratic rights of citizens are not competing goals. They are the very foundation on which a strong democracy must stand.