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'Modi wants youth to make reels instead': Rahul Gandhi at meeting with Sarthak Sidhant, teen who probed CBSE
Sharing a video of his recent meeting with Sarthak Sidhant, Rahul Gandhi lauded the 18-year-old student for questioning the system and pursuing answers.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday praised whistleblower student Sarthak Sidhant and his associate Nisarga Adhikary for uncovering alleged irregularities in the CBSE's on-screen marking system (OSM) tender process, saying the two young men achieved what even major media organisations and investigative agencies could not.
Sharing a video of his recent meeting with Sarthak Sidhant on X, Gandhi lauded the 18-year-old student for questioning the system and pursuing answers despite his age.
In a Hindi post accompanying the video, Gandhi described Sarthak Sidhant as a young man whose "mindset, courage, and principles" rivalled anyone else's. "Sarthak is 18 years old, yet, in terms of mindset, courage, and principles, he is second to none," the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition wrote.
Referring to Sidhant and 19-year-old Adhikary's investigation into the CBSE's OSM tendering process, Gandhi said teenagers had outperformed even the country's premier investigative agency.
"An 18-year-old from the country proved faster and sharper than the CBI; this victory for the youth is, in the true sense, a defeat for the government," he said.
‘Modi ji wants youth to keep making reels’
Gandhi used the episode to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's approach towards young people, arguing that questioning authority was essential to democracy.
"Modi ji wants our youth to keep making reels and frying pakodas, without asking questions or opening their eyes. But these young men did ask questions, and they found the answers, too," Gandhi said.
Calling Sidhant and Adhikary examples of India's youth potential, he added, "This is India's true youth power – inquisitive, aware and informed. And remember, the country's future will not be led astray."
Meeting with Rahul, presentation before parliamentary panel
The Congress leader met Sidhant and his family last Tuesday. Following the meeting, Gandhi shared photographs and a message of support for the student.
"Sarthak, stay firm on your principles," he wrote.
Sidhant has emerged as one of the prominent voices questioning the implementation of the OSM system. He also made a presentation before a parliamentary panel on Tuesday regarding the alleged irregularities in the tendering process linked to the digital evaluation system.
In the video shared on Sunday, Gandhi is seen asking Sidhant how he gathered information related to the alleged discrepancies and commending him for effectively performing the work of investigative journalists.
OSM controversy
The controversy centres on the CBSE's decision to replace traditional paper evaluation with a digital on-screen marking system for Class 12 board examinations.
Questions were raised after some students alleged that the scanned answer sheets uploaded by the board did not match their handwriting, triggering concerns over possible answer-sheet mismatches within the system.
The issue has since escalated into a political controversy. The government recently removed two senior CBSE officials amid the row. However, the Congress has dismissed the action as a cover-up.
Gandhi has demanded the dismissal of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and called for an independent judicial inquiry into the matter.
