Rahul Gandhi Criticises Education, Recruitment System At ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ In Indore

September 19, 2026

Indore: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday criticised the education system, examination process and youth-related policies while addressing the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore.

The programme, held on September 19, was the fifth edition of the student outreach initiative, which focuses on issues related to education, recruitment, unemployment and examination-related concerns.

Rahul Gandhi Questions Government Spending On Education

Rahul Gandhi said the responsibility for running the education system rests with the Union government, but claimed that the system was moving in the opposite direction.

Displaying figures through slides, he alleged that the Union government’s education expenditure had declined from 4.6 per cent of the budget before 2014 to 2.6 per cent currently. He also claimed that Rs 7.7 lakh crore meant for education had gone into the hands of billionaires.

He described students as people who ask questions and remain curious, contrasting them with what he referred to as “Andhbhakts” or blind followers.

‘System Versus Students’ Theme At Indore Event

On the examination system, Rahul Gandhi said that while some candidates had made mistakes, their trust in the system had been damaged.

Students attending the programme raised concerns about the examination and recruitment process, with some saying they had “lost to the system”.

Rahul Gandhi alleged that corrupt individuals within examination systems leak question papers for money, affecting the future of lakhs of students.

“If corrupt individuals remain part of the examination process and the system itself becomes corrupt, the loss will be borne by the students,” he said.

An MBBS student at the event claimed that around 13 per cent of posts in certain recruitments had remained on hold after the preliminary, mains and interview stages for the past eight years. The student said around four lakh young people and directly 87,000 candidates had been affected, while repeated references to court cases had delayed results.

According to the student, some candidates had also become overage while waiting for appointments.

Rahul Gandhi Says Education Should Lead To Employment

Rahul Gandhi said education should not be treated as a luxury but as a right of every student.

He said the Union government’s responsibility should extend from a child’s early education and school meals through school and college and ultimately to employment.

“Students form the foundation of the nation, and the system must provide them education and job opportunities,” he said.

He described the theme of the Indore programme as “System versus Students”, saying young people would explain how the existing system was affecting their future.

The ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ initiative has previously been held in Kota, Dehradun, Prayagraj and Pune, with the Indore event focusing on students’ concerns around education, examinations, recruitment and employment.