From Paper Leaks to Reservation and Now the Election Commission… Who Is Ultimately Shaping the Direction of Youth Protests?
The Real Pain of Youth or a New Arena for Political Interests? First Gen Z, Then School Students, and Now the Reservation Battle—Is There an Attempt to Push Youth Movements into Ideological Conflict?
Dharmendra Prajapati | Lok Baat
New Delhi – The anger of Gen Z, the new generation of youth in the country, is increasingly taking new forms. At times, young people’s anger over paper leaks and irregularities in recruitment examinations is seen spilling onto the streets, while at other times, demands for changes in the reservation system begin to emerge. Now, youth organizations have also taken up the issue of the functioning of the Election Commission and electoral rolls. The question is not whether young people have the right to protest. In a democracy, it is their constitutional right.
The real question is whether these movements are emerging from Gen Z’s genuine problems and concerns about the future, or whether young people’s discontent is being directed toward different political and ideological agendas. This question cannot be ignored, especially because over the past few months, Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has become a focal point for protests over three different issues—examination systems, reservation, and the electoral system. However, the government has now imposed restrictions on protests at the site.
The Fight Began with Paper Leaks, but the Nature of the Movement Gradually Changed
In July 2026, young people began a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and irregularities in the examination system. The initial demands of the movement were clear—an impartial investigation into the paper leak, transparency in the examination system, accountability of responsible officials, and protection of students’ futures. The biggest feature of these demands was that students could unite around them beyond caste, religion, and political ideology.
However, as the movement progressed, other political and ideological issues also began to find space on its platform. A report published by Dainik Jagran on July 24 also raised the question of how, within just 26 days, a movement that had begun against paper leaks had evolved into a platform for a broader political and ideological debate.
Was this shift the result of a natural evolution in political awareness, or part of an organised strategy? Concrete evidence would be necessary to provide a definitive answer. However, it was clear that examining the relationship between the direction of the movement and its original objectives had become necessary.
Why Did Schoolchildren Join the Gen Z Protest?
One concerning aspect of the entire episode was the participation of school students. A report published by India Today on July 27 mentioned a 14-year-old Class 8 student from Patparganj, Delhi, who had reached Jantar Mantar with his friends. According to the report, it was not clear whether the student had any direct connection with the movement’s original demands.
This example raises a serious question: Are schoolchildren participating in political movements after fully understanding their objectives and potential consequences? Or are they taking to the streets under the influence of social media, peer pressure, and the appeal of political slogans? However, the participation of a single student cannot be taken as evidence that children were deliberately brought into the movement in an organized manner. Nevertheless, organizers, parents, and the administration have a responsibility to ensure that the safety and education of minor students are not adversely affected.
Why Did the Issue of Reservation Suddenly Emerge After the Paper Leak?
After the July paper leak movement, a new protest over the reservation system emerged at Jantar Mantar in August. The demonstration held on August 21 was attended not only by students but also by farmers, homemakers, and businesspeople. Some representatives associated with the movement called for giving priority to economic status instead of caste-based reservation and demanded reforms in the reservation system. Harsh Dubey, who was associated with the movement, clarified in an interview that his demand was not for the complete abolition of reservation, but for reforms to the system.
This is where a major political question arises. The generation of young people who should have been united against paper leaks, unemployment, and irregularities in recruitment examinations—are circumstances now emerging that could divide them along the lines of support for or opposition to reservation?
Debating reservation is not unconstitutional. Both those who support reservation and those who call for its review can put forward their views democratically. However, it is also necessary to understand the social and historical context of the issue. In the Indian Constitution, reservation is not merely a system of economic assistance; it is also an important means of addressing historical social deprivation and inequalities in representation.
In such a situation, if any movement over reservation becomes a cause of conflict between social groups, its consequences could be far-reaching.
Are Political Parties Seeing an Advantage in Dividing Young People?
After the reservation movement, political allegations and counter-allegations also emerged. In August, Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra accused the BJP and RSS of conspiring to weaken the reservation system. However, this was a political allegation that was not independently verified. On the other hand, those leading the movement for changes in the reservation system describe it as an issue concerning their rights and opportunities. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to declare any one political party as the driving force behind the movement.
However, an established aspect of politics is that political parties often seek to mobilise public support in their favour through large-scale public movements. The question is whether addressing young people’s problems is a priority for political parties, or whether their discontent is increasingly becoming a means of political power play between the ruling party and the opposition.
Now, Gen Z’s Anger Over the Electoral System
In October 2026, youth movements have taken another significant turn. Protests are now being held over the functioning of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and alleged deletion of voters’ names. Activists associated with the youth movement known as the “Cockroach Janta Party,” along with other student organisations, have raised demands for greater accountability from the Election Commission and electoral reforms. Protesters have alleged that large numbers of names have been removed from electoral rolls. However, the Election Commission and the government have disagreed with these allegations. It would therefore not be appropriate to treat the allegations as established facts.
Reports of protests at and around Delhi’s Jantar Mantar began emerging from October 2. During a proposed major demonstration on October 10 demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, reports emerged of extensive police deployment in Delhi and protesters being taken into custody. According to a Reuters report dated October 10, more than 2,000 protesters were detained in Delhi. Reports of smaller groups of protesters and police action also emerged on October 11. This development indicates that youth activism that began with the issue of paper leaks has now extended to accountability of electoral institutions. However, there is another important fact to consider.
A report published about the October 10 demonstration noted that Gen Z participation was lower compared with the earlier paper leak movement. Does this mean that young people who were united over the paper leak issue are becoming ideologically divided over the Election Commission issue? Or, as the nature of the movement changes, are different youth groups participating according to their own priorities?
The Voice of Youth or a New Laboratory for Political Parties?
A common thread can be seen throughout these developments. The issue of paper leaks was directly connected to students’ futures. The issue of reservation concerns social justice, opportunities, and representation, while the issue of the electoral system relates to the impartiality of democratic institutions and citizens’ rights. All three issues are important, but they are fundamentally different in nature. This is why it would be premature to regard them all as part of a single political conspiracy. Nevertheless, the role of political parties, student organisations, and social media in these movements warrants closer examination.
Who is leading these movements? Who is providing financial and organisational support? Are the movements’ original issues changing? Are students being diverted from their actual problems and drawn into ideological conflicts? And most importantly—once these movements end, are the problems faced by young people actually resolved?
Without answering these questions, it is impossible to properly assess the success or failure of any movement.
Could the Era of the 1990 Mandal Movement Return?
In 1990, the country witnessed widespread protests both in support of and against reservation after the government of then Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh implemented the recommendations of the Mandal Commission. The reservation issue altered the social and political equations of the time. Now, if tensions over reservation intensify amid broader demands for employment and examination reforms, the possibility of social polarisation cannot be ruled out. However, it would also be inappropriate to directly compare the present circumstances with those of 1990.
Today, the social structure, political circumstances, constitutional discourse, and means of information have changed considerably. Nevertheless, it is important to learn from history.
Major Youth-Led Movements in Several Countries…
- Belgium (2026) — Gen Z took to the streets in protest against cuts to the education budget.
- Nepal (2025) — Against corruption, the political system, and social media restrictions.
- Peru (2025) — Against corruption, insecurity, and pension reforms.
- Indonesia (2025) — Against special privileges for lawmakers and economic inequality.
- Kenya (2024) — Against tax hikes and government policies.
- Madagascar (2025) — Over electricity and water shortages and government administration.
- Morocco (2025) — Over issues related to education, healthcare services, and unemployment.
- Bangladesh (2024) — A student movement against quotas in government jobs, which later evolved into an anti-government movement.
- Sri Lanka (2022) — Against the economic crisis, inflation, and corruption
The Real Question—Will Young People Get Jobs or Just More Protests?
Today, young people in the country face several fundamental questions. When will competitive examinations be conducted fairly? When will an effective system to prevent paper leaks be put in place? When will transparency and time-bound appointments in government recruitment be ensured? When will adequate employment opportunities be available for unemployed youth? And who will provide satisfactory answers to the questions being raised about democratic institutions? If the focus of youth movements continues to shift without addressing these questions, it will pose a serious challenge to both the democratic system and political leadership. Young people’s anger may be genuine, but the possibility of that anger being used for political purposes cannot be ignored either.
Therefore, it is essential that, along with the protesters, their leadership, organisational structure, and political connections also be examined impartially.
Lok Baat’s Perspective
Gen Z’s movement may represent not merely anger against the government, but also the voice of a new generation demanding accountability from the system. However, the line between the voice of young people and political interests must remain clear. If young people who stood united over paper leaks are made to fight among themselves in the name of reservation, the greatest loss will be suffered by the very generation in whose name these movements began. It is equally important that demands for transparency in the electoral system should not simply be dismissed as political opposition.
The government, the opposition, and organisations leading the movements—all three must be accountable. Because in a democracy, the success of a movement is determined not merely by the size of the crowd it mobilises, but by the results it achieves.
Lok Baat’s Biggest Question—
Is Gen Z fighting for its own future, or is its anger being used on different fronts for political interests? And is the new generation that has been fighting for employment and examination reforms now being pushed into new social conflicts over reservation and other issues? The answers to these questions must be sought not in political slogans, but in facts and the actual outcomes of these movements.
