For years, we have told our children:

Work hard. Study sincerely. Follow the rules. Merit will win.

But what happens when the very system that promises to reward merit is suspected of failing the students who trusted it?

That is the uncomfortable question behind the NEET paper leak controversy.

And as a counsellor and educator, I believe we need to stop looking at this merely as an examination controversy.

This is a crisis of trust. And Gen Z is angry because it has every reason to ask why.

Let's understand what is really at stake.

For a student appearing for NEET, this is not just another examination. It is often years of preparation. Years of coaching. Years of sacrifice. Countless hours spent studying while friends are enjoying their youth.

Parents spending enormous amounts of money on education.

Families making sacrifices because they believe one thing: If my child works hard and performs well, the system will give them a fair chance. That is the contract. Students do their part. The system must do its part. When allegations of paper leaks and examination irregularities emerge, that contract is broken.

And when trust is broken, telling students to simply "prepare again" is not enough.

Because you cannot reset a student's mental health by announcing another examination date.

You cannot refund years of preparation.

You cannot reverse the anxiety.

You cannot undo the loss of confidence.

And you certainly cannot tell a student who played by the rules to simply accept that others may have gained an unfair advantage.

This is why Gen Z is protesting.

Some older generations may look at today's young people and say: *"They are impatient."* *"They don't respect authority."* "They protest too much." I disagree.

Gen Z is simply less willing to accept the phrase: "This is how things have always been done." They want answers. They want transparency. They want accountability. They want systems that work. And above all, they want to know that honesty is not a disadvantage.

Their questions are uncomfortable—but they are necessary.

Who is responsible?**

Who will be held accountable?**

Why should honest students suffer because of systemic failures?**

What safeguards will prevent this from happening again?**

Why should students bear the financial and psychological cost of institutional mistakes?

These are not unreasonable questions. These are the questions of citizens who care about their future. As an education counsellor, I worry about something deeper. We talk about examination stress all the time. We talk about anxiety. We talk about depression. We talk about student suicides. We tell students to develop resilience. We tell them to handle failure. We tell them to manage pressure. But are we creating the pressure ourselves?

Imagine being 18 or 19 years old. You have spent two years preparing for one examination. Your entire family has invested emotionally and financially in your dream. Then you hear that the examination process itself may have been compromised. What happens inside the mind of that student?

The question is no longer: "Can I succeed?"

The question becomes: "Does my hard work even matter?"

That is a much more dangerous question. Because once young people stop believing that merit matters, we create cynicism. And cynicism is toxic to society. ##

My support for the CJP protest

I support the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest because I believe that peaceful democratic protest is an essential part of holding institutions accountable. This is not about blindly supporting one political position. It is about supporting a principle: When young people believe that the system has failed them, they have the right to demand answers. I believe the CJP has helped bring public attention to the concerns surrounding examination integrity, accountability and the credibility of competitive examinations. And I believe these concerns deserve to be heard.

However, I would also say this to every protester:

Keep your protest peaceful.

Keep it factual.

Keep it focused.

Do not allow your legitimate concerns to be weakened by misinformation, personal abuse or violence. A strong movement does not need to shout louder than everyone else. It needs to make its case so clearly that it cannot be ignored.

To Gen Z: I have one message.

Do not apologise for asking questions. Question authority. Question systems. Question decisions. Question policies. But do it intelligently.

Do it peacefully.

Do it with facts. And most importantly, do not allow your anger to destroy your future.

The system may be imperfect. Institutions may fail. People in authority may make mistakes. But do not let their failures convince you that your effort is worthless. Your education still matters. Your integrity still matters. Your hard work still matters. Your voice matters. And your vote will matter.

To the authorities: Gen Z is watching.

This generation has grown up with access to more information than any previous generation. They are connected. They are informed. They communicate instantly. They question everything. You cannot expect young people to blindly trust institutions simply because they are institutions. Trust has to be earned. If there has been wrongdoing, investigate it. If there has been negligence, identify it. If there has been corruption, punish it. If the examination system needs reform, reform it. And communicate openly with students. Because silence creates suspicion. Delay creates frustration. And lack of accountability creates anger.

We need to change the conversation.

The debate should not be: "Are these students protesting too much?"

The debate should be: "Why are students losing faith in the system?"

That is the real question. And if we genuinely care about the future of India, we must listen. Because these students are not just NEET aspirants. They are future doctors. Future professionals. Future entrepreneurs. Future teachers. Future leaders. And future citizens. If they are learning today that hard work can be undermined by a broken system, what lesson are we teaching them about our society? That is why this issue matters. Not just because of one examination. But because of what it represents.

My final message To every student who feels cheated, frustrated or angry:

Your anger is understandable.

Your questions are legitimate.

Your demand for fairness is justified.

But don't give up. Don't lose your belief in yourself. Don't allow a flawed system to define your worth. Fight for reform. Demand accountability. Stand up for yourself. But never stop believing in your own potential.

And to those responsible for running our education system,

I say this: You are not merely conducting examinations. You are handling the dreams of millions of young Indians. Treat those dreams with the seriousness they deserve. Because when a student enters an examination hall, they should have only one fear: "Did I prepare well enough?" They should never have to wonder: **"Was the system fair?"**

Fair examinations are not a privilege.They are the minimum that our students deserve. And Gen Z is right to demand nothing less.