Paper Leaks and Human Folly
The recent past days have been full of turmoil: indefinite hunger strikes, palpable anger, blows, runs, lament, cries, yells, dramatic scenes, scars, bloodshed, and bruises. The authorities unleashed brutality upon the unarmed masses as if an exotic species had invaded the Earth: prodding, beating with batons, and shedding blood. No justification can be given for the unequal power dynamics between the two. The law-and-order situation doesn't exempt us from the grave blunder of brandishing batons and thrashing students. Meanwhile, some police personnel also got injured during the chaos. Who is at fault?
Paper leak? Yes, that's one heck of an issue. It should never have happened. It's a perversion of a public trust. A crime. An unforgivable sin. Why did it happen? That's where we should ring the alarm. Who's behind this? Are we digging beneath the surface to expose the deep rot? Which personalities are complicit in this crime? Have they been brought to justice? Should they be retained, suspended, or tossed to the wolves?
Triggers and Fuel
This problem has resurfaced far too many times. At one point, it was the University Grants Commission Net Eligibility Test (UGC-NET). At another, National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET). The recent incident appears to have been the final nail in the coffin. Students could no longer hold on. They took to the streets with a peaceful sit-in ignored for days and then chaos descended.
To say these protests and demonstrations are devoid of political undercurrents would be a mistake. Politics is perhaps the only profession that reveals itself in the ugliest and most stealthy ways. Though there is no evidence to suggest they are manufactured politically, many parties might be working to exploit the situation. More for the sake of their own position than for the people. That is where the real tragedy lies: politics and political games.
Part of the problem, I suppose, in a democratic country like India, is the often-slow-paced response of the government. It is comforting to imagine a nation governed by democratic principles, with a robust Constitution safeguarding its citizens against executive overreach and resolving crises such as these swiftly. If not instantly, then at least decisively. Yet when the same issue resurfaces repeatedly, it ceases to become an isolated failure and becomes a systemic one. Public outrage and confrontation then become both inevitable and understandable.
Shun Both Violence and Silence
I do not endorse violence. I am not in favour of it. It's among the worst paths a human could take, regardless of the gravity of the situation. However, we should also recognise that humans are governed, at least in part, by emotions. It is overwhelming for a student to devote months, even years, to preparation only to discover that the examination paper has been leaked and the test cancelled and postponed.
Our education system needs serious reforms. It's a genuine demand that policymakers should make rules and regulations that don't leave any possibility of papers being leaked; government should be swift in addressing such concerns in clear and bold terms. Also, blocking Telegram to prevent the leakage of papers is stark hogwash, an insult, and an addition to the injury. It's ugly at best.
When silence reigns and recurrent episodes of corrupt practices surface, it's a human reaction to become consumed by anger and hopelessness at the same time. Reality hits. Calling for the Education Minister's resignation becomes the central theme of the upheaval. The complexity multiplies tenfold. And the deep rot stares us squarely in the eye.
Power Corrupts
Now let us shift from what we have witnessed over the past few days to something more abstract and often neglected: human behaviour. Humans are capable of extraordinary cruelty. Take Hitler or Stalin, for example. They were human beings, yet they unleashed unimaginable horror. Given sufficient power and too few restraints, perhaps any of us could become someone we would rather not imagine. Numerous experiments have sought to understand the constituent elements of the human psyche. Allan Watts has reflected deeply on human consciousness. Carl Jung's works remain profound. Dostoevsky's novels and Freud’s theories continue to explore the complexities of the human mind.
If everything were to be summarised in a single sentence, it would be this: human beings are unpredictable, uncertain, and capable of evil. They harbour resentment and often surrender to fleeting urges and provocations. Therefore, when we encounter corruption, we should not be surprised by the resultant anger and despair.
Beyond Leaks and Protests
We still have a long way to go. These protests, the bloodshed, and the recurrent paper leaks speak far more than they merely exhibit.
They call upon us to confront the deeper human failings beneath them. Yet these are subjects to which our educational curriculum devotes little attention. We should strive to raise a generation of honest, thoughtful, and emotionally mature individuals who understand and dissect greed, resentment, and anger. Not merely in theory, but within themselves. Only then can we act justly and honestly.
True education involves introspecting human nature itself. We must cultivate conscious awareness of our own vast, pernicious capabilities. We should learn from behavioural scientists, psychologists, philosophers, and moral thinkers and, more importantly, absorb their teachings. Awareness must be followed by integration. This is where human beings become whole. Only then are we least likely to surrender to our baser instincts. That is the highest order a human being can achieve.
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