For years, the RSS-BJP has projected itself as the guardian of nationalism, the defender of ordinary citizens, and the protector of Hindu interests. The events of recent weeks have seriously dented that carefully constructed image. The scale and determination of the student movement have revealed widespread public dissatisfaction with an education system marked by repeated examination paper leaks, growing commercialization, shrinking opportunities, and deepening inequality. They have also cast doubt on repeated claims that India remains a vibrant democracy, as the state's response to peaceful dissent has increasingly reflected intolerance rather than democratic engagement.

The demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and in cities across the country deserve to be recognized as one of the most significant student movements in recent decades. While the immediate demand was to ensure transparency and fairness in examinations and recruitment, the movement quickly expanded into a broader critique of the direction in which education is being taken.

Students have questioned not only administrative failures but also the ideological orientation of education policy. They have challenged attempts to replace India's constitutional commitment to secularism, scientific temper, and critical thinking with communal narratives, historical distortion, and unscientific ideas. Their concerns extend beyond campuses. They reflect the anxieties of millions of young people struggling for quality education, meaningful employment, and equal opportunities.

One of the most remarkable features of the movement has been its inclusiveness. Girls and boys from diverse religious, caste, regional, and social backgrounds stood together around common democratic demands. Families joined the protests, and social media amplified voices that are often ignored by mainstream institutions. Such unity demonstrates that issues affecting education and employment transcend communal and social divisions.

Predictably, this democratic assertion has also provoked an aggressive backlash. The ruling establishment and its supporters have responded not with dialogue but with hostility. Public statements by the leaders of the ruling clique, Nishikant Dubey – BJP MP, TG Mohandas, a former head of the BJP Intellectual Cell and Kangana Ranaut – BJP MP advocating violence against protesters and degrading remarks directed at women students have deeply disturbed many citizens. Such rhetoric has no place in a democratic society. Equally troubling are reports of attacks on students by Hindutva vigilante groups while law-enforcement agencies appear reluctant to intervene decisively. Whether isolated or widespread, such incidents reinforce concerns about shrinking democratic space.

These developments underline the urgency of strengthening democratic engagement rather than weakening it. Progressive organizations, democratic movements, teachers, educationists, trade unions, and political parties committed to constitutional values should highlight that public opinion is becoming increasingly receptive to serious discussion on education and democracy. This opportunity should not be wasted.

The immediate task is to initiate broad public dialogue on the future of education. The rapid privatization of educational institutions, the commercialization of learning, attempts to distort history through ideological lenses, and the introduction of unscientific ideas into curricula deserve careful public scrutiny. Such discussions must be conducted with students rather than merely on their behalf.

The debate must also return to the vision articulated by the Kothari Commission, whose recommendations remain remarkably relevant. Its emphasis on neighbourhood schools, equal educational opportunity, common schooling, and free quality education reflected a commitment to education as a public good rather than a market commodity.

The present trajectory is moving in the opposite direction. Government schools, once established to universalise education, continue to decline in number. It is unfortunate that, after Independence, government schools were established to ensure education for the entire population, but these very schools are now being shut down. At present, the country has about 340,000 private schools and 1 million government schools. Over the past decade, around 94,000 government schools have been closed across the country.

Public investment has not kept pace with growing needs. Higher education has become increasingly dependent on private institutions, where high fees place professional education beyond the reach of many deserving students. The sharp disparity between government and private medical college fees illustrates how educational opportunity is becoming increasingly determined by economic privilege rather than academic merit.

Equally important is the need to restore public confidence in examination and admission systems. Transparent, professionally managed institutions that function independently and remain accountable to the public are essential for safeguarding merit and fairness.

India urgently needs substantially higher public investment in education. Increased budgetary allocations, stronger public institutions, adequate recruitment of teachers, improved infrastructure, and transparent admission processes should become national priorities. Education cannot be treated merely as a commercial sector; it is the foundation of democracy, social mobility, and national development.

The present political climate undoubtedly poses serious challenges. Democratic institutions face growing pressures, and dissent is often met with repression rather than dialogue. Yet the courage displayed by students and young people has also demonstrated that democratic aspirations remain alive across the country. Their movement has opened an important space for discussing not only education but also the larger questions of equality, constitutional values, and the kind of society India wishes to build.

History shows that transformative change often begins when ordinary citizens refuse to accept injustice as inevitable. The current moment offers precisely such an opportunity. (IPA Service)