Gen Z Protests and the Path to Structural Reform B. Sripad Bhat, a writer and activist, highlighted the significance of recent Gen Z-led protests against the NEET-UG paper leak, emphasizing their impact on the Modi government’s operational decisions. Speaking at a lecture organized by Namma Balaga in Shivamogga, Bhat noted that the students’ actions led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was replaced by Pralhad Joshi. This shift, he argued, marked a tangible change at the operational level, though it fell short of structural reforms such as scrapping the National Testing Agency or the NEET system itself. Bhat underscored that the protests were not an ideological movement but a reaction by Gen Z to systemic issues in India’s education sector. He called for civil society to guide the youth by providing them with a political vocabulary and broader social context to transform their actions into lasting change. “The students’ protest was a response, not a manifesto,” he said, stressing the need for elders and activists to help the youth understand the deeper implications of their actions. Drawing on historical parallels, Bhat compared India’s movements to those led by the middle class, such as the 1970s anti-Indira Gandhi agitations that culminated in the Emergency, the 1980s anti-Mandal protests, and the India Against Corruption movement. He warned that these movements often strengthened forces that later consolidated power, undermining democratic institutions. Bhat urged introspection on why large segments of society continue to support regimes that prioritize order over democratic principles, even during periods of authoritarian rule like the Emergency.#dharmendra_pradhan #pralhad_joshi #b_sripad_bhat #neet_Ug_paper_leak #namma_balaga
