Ladakhi Activist Sonam Wangchuk Marks Day 19 of Hunger Strike Over Exam Leaks

Sonam Wangchuk, the renowned education reformer and environmental activist from Ladakh, has reached the 19th day of his indefinite hunger strike. His protest is aimed at demanding absolute accountability and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the massive, widespread competitive examination paper leaks that have disrupted the lives of millions of students across India.

In mid-2024, the National Testing Agency (NTA) faced severe backlash after allegations of paper leaks, compromises, and irregular grace marks surfaced regarding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) for medical admissions and the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET). The UGC-NET exam was cancelled entirely just a day after being conducted, while NEET-UG results sparked nationwide outrage and led to multiple petitions in the Supreme Court of India. These scandals put the future of nearly 2.4 million medical aspirants and hundreds of thousands of postgraduate scholars in jeopardy, leading to deep public anger and political turbulence.

Wangchuk, widely respected for his innovative educational models in Ladakh and his previous climate fasts, has taken up the cause of these young students. His hunger strike is a symbolic and physical protest against what he describes as a 'systemic failure' and 'betrayal' of the nation's youth. He argues that the government's response has been inadequate and that those at the very top of the educational administration must take moral and administrative responsibility. He has repeatedly called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, asserting that leadership must be held accountable for lapses that affect the country's collective future.

This is not Wangchuk's first major protest. He previously held a 21-day hunger strike in Ladakh demanding statehood, Sixth Schedule constitutional protections, and environmental safeguards for the fragile Himalayan region. Recently, he led a 'Delhi Chalo' march from Leh to the national capital, where he and several Ladakhi supporters were briefly detained by police at the Delhi border before being released. His transition to highlighting the plight of students nationwide demonstrates his broader commitment to national reform, governance transparency, and social justice.

The paper leak scandal has already forced the government to initiate a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and set up a high-level committee led by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan to recommend reforms in the examination process. However, protesters like Wangchuk argue that these measures are mere damage control and do not address the deep-rooted corruption and incompetence within the testing infrastructure. As Wangchuk's health deteriorates on the 19th day of his fast, civil society groups, student unions, and opposition parties have intensified their solidarity, urging the central government to address the core demands of transparency, institutional reform, and ministerial accountability.