Exam paper leaks in India fuel youth anger over job, education options

Integrity of several national exams comes under doubt in recent weeks

- Debarshi Dasgupta

KOLKATA - Mr Alkesh Singh spent the last six months studying hard for his exam in June.

The 20-year-old Hindi literature postgraduate student at the University of Delhi left nothing to chance spending nearly 10 hours daily revising his syllabus and even taking mock tests so that he could clear the UGC-NET exam.

Cracking this government-run test is critical because it would make him eligible for entry-level teaching positions at Indian universities, easing the pressure on Mr Singh, the eldest son from a modest farming family in Uttar Pradesh, in his pursuit of a job.

"Everyone wants to bring relief to their parents," he said. "Mine have been farming for a long time.

If I get a job soon, they will get some respite." Things went well for Mr Singh on June 18, the day of the exam, but fate dealt him and more than 900,000 others who sat the test across India, an unfair blow.

The government announced the following day that the question paper had been leaked on Telegram and on the dark web. It was reportedly up for grabs for as little as 5,000 rupees (S$81).

A mix of anger and sadness overcame Mr Singh, and his voice during the phone interview on June 27 still belied his initial exasperation.

"All day, we take mock tests, study night and day at the library, while someone is able to buy a copy of the paper for just 5,000 rupees. What's the point in us studying?" he said.

"Education is up for sale entirely," added Mr Singh who, along with other students, showed up outside the Ministry of Education in New Delhi on June 20 to take part in his first protest against the leak.

India's examination system is in the throes of an unprecedented crisis. The UGC-NET exam is among several national exams whose integrity has come under doubt in recent weeks because of allegations of paper leaks.