'Students, Gen Z, ask me anything': Rahul Gandhi launches Instagram Q&A, responds to Jharkhand protest

Gandhi invited students and young users to ask him anything on the social media platform, which has increasingly become a key space for political messaging following the nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak.

"Students, Gen Z, ask me anything and I'll reply to as many questions," Gandhi wrote on Instagram.

Rahul Gandhi responds to students' concerns

During the interactive session, the Congress MP responded to questions on education, his personal choices and current affairs.

Replying to a user who urged him to support the protesting students in Jharkhand, Gandhi said: "The students are protesting against the shortcomings of our current education system. I have consistently maintained that our education system has collapsed—it is prohibitively expensive and deeply oppressive.

"Every government, whether led by the Congress, the BJP at the Centre, or in states such as Jharkhand, must listen to students' grievances and take concrete steps toward meaningful educational reforms."

Photo: Rahul Gandhi/X

Protest in a Congress-backed state

Jharkhand, where the students' agitation is underway, is governed by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress alliance.

The Congress has publicly backed the students' protest, which comes on the heels of the month-long agitation over the NEET paper leak at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Students accuse government of being 'unresponsive'

Amid the ongoing demonstrations and hunger strike, the protesting students have accused the JMM-Congress-led government of being "unresponsive" to their demands.

The protesters said they remain open to dialogue but alleged that the state government has shown little willingness to engage with them or address their concerns.

Devendra Nath Mahto leads agitation

The face of the movement is Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike over alleged recruitment irregularities.

Mahto has emerged as the leading voice of the agitation, demanding accountability, transparency and reforms in Jharkhand's recruitment process.
The agitation began in Ranchi in late July 2026 and has since expanded into a statewide movement led by aspirants of the JPSC and JSSC examinations.

The protesters have alleged question paper leaks, corruption, manipulation in the recruitment process, and irregularities in the 14th JPSC Combined Preliminary Examination, besides raising concerns over other recruitment tests conducted by the two commissions.

Key demands of the protesters

The students are demanding:

• Cancellation of the 14th JPSC Combined Preliminary Examination.
• A CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment.
• Transparent and time-bound recruitment processes.
• Structural reforms in the state's recruitment agencies to prevent similar controversies in the future.