Honour The Promise Made To The Students, Withdraw FIRs

A government's word is not a casual political statement that can be conveniently forgotten once public anger subsides; it is a solemn assurance that carries the weight of the state. Promises are made to be honoured, not breached.

This elementary principle of governance needs to be restated in the wake of the confusion surrounding the FIRs registered against students who participated in the nationwide agitation over the NEET and other examination scams.

They did not take to the streets on a whim; they protested because repeated question paper leaks had shattered their faith in a system that determines the future of millions.

Promises Must Be Honoured

Instead of acknowledging its own failures, the government initially sought to discredit the movement by portraying it as a Pakistan-inspired campaign. That narrative collapsed when evidence showed that the overwhelming majority of those supporting the agitation were Indians, deeply concerned about the integrity of public examinations.

The attempt to brand patriotic students as agents of a foreign conspiracy was not merely absurd; it was an insult to an entire generation. Unable to sustain that fiction, the government eventually yielded to the principal demand of the protesters—the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The students, believing that good faith had finally prevailed, expected the government to fulfil the assurances made during the negotiations. One of the promises was that all FIRs registered against the protesting students would be withdrawn. That promise now appears to have been quietly abandoned.

When the matter reached the Supreme Court on Tuesday, counsel appearing for the government made no mention of any commitment to withdraw the criminal cases.

The Court granted the students protection from coercive action but stopped short of directing the cancellation of the FIRs. The result is predictable: the students remain under the shadow of criminal prosecution despite the government's assurances.

Students Deserve Justice

When the year-long farmers' agitation ended in 2021, the government had similarly assured the protesters that the cases filed against them would be withdrawn.

Years later, many farmers continue to spend their time, money and energy defending themselves in courts. Broken promises have become an unfortunate pattern rather than an exception.

The government must not repeat that mistake. These students are not criminals; they are victims of an examination system that failed them because of administrative incompetence and repeated paper leaks.

They were compelled to protest when their future was jeopardised by the state's inability to conduct fair examinations. A democracy does not criminalise its young for demanding honesty and accountability. If the government expects citizens to trust its promises, it must begin by honouring them.

The immediate withdrawal of all FIRs against the students is not an act of generosity; it is an obligation arising from both justice and the government's own word.

Published on: Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 10:01 PM IST