New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday triggered an uproar in the House after alleging that RSS-affiliated individuals were being appointed to key positions in educational institutions and demanding their removal.
Raising the issue during a debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Kharge also accused the Centre of acting on examination reforms only after nationwide protests by students over repeated paper leaks.
Participating in the debate, Kharge alleged that the academic freedom and autonomy of the country's educational institutions were continuously weakening due to appointments allegedly driven by ideological affiliations rather than academic merit.
"The academic freedom of our country's educational institutions is continuously weakening. Universities are not just places for granting degrees. They are centres for new ideas, scientific temper, research and healthy debate. A university campus is not meant for imposing a narrow ideology, blind faith, or any single ideology," Kharge said.
Targeting the Centre, he alleged that the Modi government was filling educational institutions with people affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). "Under the Modi government, RSS affiliates are being stuffed into educational institutions. Today, vice-chancellors are selected from the RSS, and professors are recruited after carefully screening whether they belong to the RSS. The question should be whether a person knows how to teach and whether they are an expert in their field".
He further added that, "Instead, appointments are being made based on RSS affiliation. There are no candidates from other communities or backgrounds only RSS-affiliated people are being recruited into universities. In the country's universities, the position of Vice Chancellor is being given only to people affiliated with the RSS. Vice-chancellors in every university are filling positions with RSS people alone," he claimed.
His remarks triggered an uproar in the Rajya Sabha, with members of the Treasury benches objecting to the allegations.
Turning to the issue of examination reforms, Kharge said the government was forced to respond only because of mounting public pressure from students and accused it of prioritising political survival over addressing their concerns.
"I congratulate the country's students and youth. Their struggle has borne fruit, and the government had to relent. The Prime Minister had to remove the head of the testing agency," Kharge said.
He further alleged that the government accepted the students' demands only out of fear of losing power. "After witnessing the power of the youth, the government realised that if this confrontation continued, it could lose its 'kursi'. They accepted the demands not to solve the problems of students, but to save their own seats," he said.
Changing numbers in the bill will not stop paper leaks
Criticising the proposed amendments to the anti-paper leak legislation, Kharge said merely increasing penalties and introducing stricter legal provisions would not prevent examination irregularities.
Kharge said the amendment bill only revises figures related to fines and punishment while leaving the core issues in the examination system unaddressed.
He noted that the legislation includes provisions such as higher fines, stricter punishment, special task forces, and fast-track courts, but argued that these measures alone would not eliminate paper leaks.
"It will make a difference only when examinations are conducted properly and adequate systems are put in place to ensure papers do not leak," he said.
Kharge also took a swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying the Opposition would one day "drag you out" and force the government to face the public. The remark triggered an uproar in the Rajya Sabha.
Another leak will happen without systemic reforms
Kharge argued that unless the examination system undergoes structural reforms, paper leaks would continue despite tougher laws.
"If the institutions remain the same, the National Testing Agency (NTA) functions as it is, the examination system does not change, and accountability is not fixed, then after a few months another paper leak will happen again, and we will be sitting in this House having the same debate," he said.
He added that while legislation against paper leaks is one aspect, preventing such incidents through administrative reforms is far more important.
Kharge also highlighted the shortage of teachers, saying nearly 10 lakh teaching posts remain vacant across the country.
"There are around 10 lakh vacant teacher posts. Schools are not recruiting teachers. If there is no proper education in classrooms, how can India become a developed nation?" he said.
Congress says it had demanded strong law earlier
Kharge also claimed that the Congress had demanded a stringent anti-paper leak law in 2024 itself, but the government did not accept the proposal at the time.
"We repeatedly urged the government to bring a strong law in 2024 itself. If the government is introducing these measures now, why were they not implemented two years ago?" he asked.
He further said that repeated paper leaks had caused immense hardship to students and their families across the country, affecting the future of lakhs of aspirants preparing for competitive examinations. Kharge also sought a time-bound annual examination calendar to ensure that students' futures are not jeopardised.
