Pune: Youth Congress Holds Massive Torchlight Protest Against Exam Scams, Paper Leaks and Unemployment

Shivajinagar, 31st May 2026: The Indian Youth Congress on Sunday organized a massive torchlight protest march in Pune against examination scams, paper leaks, rising unemployment, and alleged corruption in the education system.

The march was led by Indian Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib, who demanded the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The “Mashal Aakrosh Morcha” commenced from Congress Bhavan and culminated at Jhansi Rani Chowk (Balgandharva Chowk). Thousands of youth, students, office-bearers, and Youth Congress workers from across Maharashtra participated in the protest.

Among those present were Indian Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib, General Secretary and Maharashtra in-charge Ajay Chhikara, Maharashtra Youth Congress President Shivraj More, National Secretaries Navjot Sandhu and Shambhavi Shukla, Tariq Bagwan, Media Head Akshay Jain, Vice President Prashant Ogle, Tanveer Vidrohi, Prathamesh Abnawe, Afreen Sheikh, Aamir Abdul, Anurag Bhoyar, Organisation General Secretary Pravin Biradar, Vivek Gavande, Ganesh Ubale and several other leaders.

During the march, participants carrying torches raised slogans against the government, demanding an end to paper leaks and justice for students and unemployed youth. Slogans such as “Stop Paper Leaks,” “Give Justice to Youth,” “Provide Employment,” and “Save Students’ Future” echoed through the area. The protesters said the march was aimed at highlighting what they termed as anti-youth policies of the Central Government.

Addressing the gathering, Uday Bhanu Chib said the torches lit in Pune symbolized the anger and frustration of millions of students and unemployed youth across the country. He alleged that repeated examination scams, paper leaks, and irregularities in recruitment processes had eroded young people’s trust in the system.

“Youth Congress will hold the government accountable for playing with the future of the country’s youth. The Union Education Minister must take moral responsibility and resign immediately; otherwise, the Prime Minister should remove him from office. Our struggle will continue on the streets and in Parliament until every student receives justice and every young person gets equal opportunities,” Chib said.

Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Youth Congress President Shivraj More alleged that instead of providing employment, education, and opportunities, the ruling government was destroying the aspirations of young people.

“Irregularities in competitive examinations and recruitment processes are not merely administrative failures but a betrayal of millions of youth. Youth Congress will not tolerate this injustice and will intensify its agitation across the state to safeguard the rights of students and young people,” More said.

The protesters also raised several demands, including ensuring complete transparency in examination processes, taking strict action against those involved in paper leaks and recruitment scams, filling vacant government posts on priority, announcing a concrete employment generation policy for unemployed youth, and establishing an effective mechanism to curb corruption in the education sector.

A large number of Youth Congress office-bearers, students from various colleges, youth activists, and citizens from across the state participated in the march. The protest concluded peacefully and in an orderly manner.