New Delhi: The Ramlila Maidan in Delhi turned into the epicentre of anger and anguish on Sunday as thousands of SSC aspirants and teachers gathered to protest what they called “systemic mismanagement” in the conduct of examinations. While the demonstration began under permission and strict conditions, it ended in detentions, injuries, and a war of words between the police and protestors, raising questions about the State’s handling of student dissent.
According to police estimates, nearly 1,500 protestors assembled at the ground despite the sanctioned cap of 1,000. The protest, permitted between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., was to be held peacefully without overnight stay. Yet, when hundreds refused to disperse after the stipulated time, the Delhi Police invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), declaring the assembly unlawful. Officials stated that 44 individuals, including several teachers, were detained and later released.
The students, however, tell a different story. Social media platforms flooded with pictures of bleeding aspirants and video testimonies alleging that police personnel dragged and assaulted protestors. “We were beaten when we only demanded our rights. They dragged us out like criminals for simply asking for fair exams,” said Rakesh Kumar, a 25-year-old SSC aspirant from Bihar, who shared images of his bloodied arm on Twitter. Several aspirants accused the police of suppressing their voices instead of addressing the grievances that brought them to Delhi.
The protestors’ charter of demands, circulated under the banner of Exam Reforms 2025, highlights 10 core issues: cancellation and rescheduling of SSC Phase XIII and Stenographer exams, replacement of current exam vendors, a moratorium on further tests until robust systems are in place, creation of a Students’ Commission of India, and filling all unfilled vacancies in government departments.
They also called for standardised exam calendars, prevention of wrong questions, and fair age relaxation for candidates disadvantaged by exam anomalies.
At the heart of the anger lies years of frustration with repeated exam cancellations, technical glitches, and opaque processes that have left millions of aspirants in limbo.
“We spend years preparing, only to find the exam cancelled or mismanaged. This is not just about one paper it is about our futures,” said Neha Singh, a candidate from Uttar Pradesh, who has been preparing for SSC CGL since 2021.
The Delhi Police, meanwhile, maintained that no lathi charge was used and that minor injuries reported by five personnel including three women constables were the result of “aggressive conduct” by some protestors. “We respect the right to peaceful assembly but cannot allow unlawful gatherings beyond permitted limits. Safety and order cannot be compromised,” an official statement read.
Rights groups, however, have criticised the police action, accusing authorities of criminalising legitimate student dissent. Political parties, too, have joined the debate, questioning whether brute force was the State’s answer to cries for reform.
As permission for Monday’s protest was revoked, the movement finds itself at a crossroads. For the aspirants, the battle is far from over. Their chants at Ramlila “Wada nahin, rozgaar chahiye” (We don’t want promises, we want jobs) still echo, underlining a generation’s demand for accountability and dignity in the pursuit of employment.