Brig (retd) G.B. Reddi
The two foundational promises of the Preamble to the Constitution of India are unmistakable—“Justice, social, economic and political” and “Equality of status and opportunity.” Seventy-five years after Independence, it is time to ask an uncomfortable question: have we honoured these constitutional ideals, particularly in education?
The answer, unfortunately, is no.
Our founding fathers envisioned an India where talent, hard work and merit would determine success. They could scarcely have imagined a system steadily captured by political dynasties, corrupt institutions, criminal elements and vested interests that manipulate public systems for private gain. Education—the greatest instrument of social mobility—has become one of the biggest casualties.
India today conducts over 350 major national and state-level competitive examinations every year, apart from thousands of university, board and recruitment tests. From UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment Boards, NDA and CDS examinations to JEE, NEET, CAT, banking recruitment and Chartered Accountancy examinations, millions of students stake their futures on these tests. Every state also conducts Class X and XII board examinations, while universities hold semester examinations for millions more.
Yet the credibility of this enormous examination ecosystem is under unprecedented strain.
Question paper leaks, impersonation, organized cheating syndicates and corruption have become recurring features rather than isolated aberrations. The commercialization of education has created a parallel coaching industry worth thousands of crores, where success increasingly depends upon one’s ability to pay rather than one’s ability to perform. Equality of opportunity, therefore, remains more constitutional rhetoric than practical reality.
Who can forget the shocking images from Bihar in 2015, where parents and relatives scaled school walls to pass chits to students appearing for the matriculation examination? That single photograph symbolized the collapse of academic integrity.
Today, however, cheating has evolved far beyond handwritten notes.
Technology has transformed examination fraud into a sophisticated industry. Skin-coloured Bluetooth micro-earpieces, miniature button cameras stitched into clothing, concealed SIM-based transmitters, smart glasses and AI-powered devices have made cheating almost military-grade in sophistication. There have even been instances of candidates allegedly seeking surgical concealment of electronic devices.
Generative Artificial Intelligence has added another dangerous dimension. In online examinations, hidden screens, virtual operating systems, remote desktop software and AI platforms can generate instant answers or even solve entire coding assessments. Organised rackets now deploy external “solvers” who operate remotely, while candidates merely sit in examination centres.
The authorities have responded with metal detectors, signal jammers, AI-enabled surveillance, facial recognition and stringent anti-cheating legislation. Parliament has recently strengthened the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. These measures are welcome, but they address symptoms rather than the disease.
The real crisis lies much deeper.
The debate surrounding NEET illustrates this contradiction. Tamil Nadu’s DMK continues to oppose the examination, arguing that a common national entrance test disadvantages rural and state-board students while enriching expensive coaching centres. Several other states, including Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Jammu & Kashmir, have also advocated greater state autonomy or alternative admission mechanisms.
Their concerns deserve consideration. Rural students undoubtedly compete under unequal circumstances.
However, abolishing NEET alone cannot be the solution.
If a centralized examination is unfair because educational standards vary dramatically, can individual states honestly guarantee a completely transparent, foolproof and corruption-free admission system? Can they assure equal opportunities between students studying in elite urban private schools and those in remote tribal villages? Can state-level examinations eliminate paper leaks, coaching influence, political interference and institutional corruption?
These are questions that deserve honest answers rather than political slogans.
The National Education Policy rightly emphasizes equitable, affordable and quality education. Yet equality cannot begin at the examination hall. It must begin in the classroom. Unless government schools in remote villages receive the same quality of teachers, infrastructure, digital connectivity and learning resources as urban institutions, every entrance examination—whether national or state-level—will continue to reflect existing inequalities rather than eliminate them.
Educational reform must therefore begin from the grassroots. Primary and secondary education require urgent strengthening before debates over entrance examinations become meaningful. Recruitment systems must become technologically secure, independent and professionally managed. Equally important, political interference in educational institutions must end.
Justice and equality are inseparable constitutional ideals. One cannot exist without the other.
After more than seven decades of Independence, equality of opportunity remains an aspiration rather than an achievement. Political leaders invoke the Constitution with remarkable frequency, yet too often neglect the single most effective instrument for achieving its promises—quality education for every child, irrespective of geography or social background.
Until India delivers that, constitutional guarantees of equality will remain little more than noble words on parchment. The promise of equal opportunity will continue to be a mirage, and every debate over NEET or any other examination will merely scratch the surface of a much deeper national failure.
