India

Kerala Governor Says Jantar Mantar NEET Protests Don't Represent Youth's True Character

By PTI

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Friday stated that the student protests held at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak issue did not represent the true character of the country's younger generation, emphasizing the importance of instilling values and character among youth.

Speaking at an event marking the silver jubilee celebrations of Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram, Arlekar acknowledged that students have the right to protest for their demands. However, he criticized the use of what he called "filthy language" directed at national leaders during the demonstrations.

"What we have seen at Jantar Mantar was not the true picture of our next generation. I don't object to agitating about your demands, you have every right to do that. But the other part of it shows the cultural heritage of yours, ethos of yours, sanskar of yours," the Governor said, questioning whether it was necessary to use such language against the country's leadership while protesting on the streets.

The protest referenced by Arlekar was organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, which staged a 36-day demonstration at Jantar Mantar starting June 20. The protesters demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing irregularities in the examination system and the NEET paper leak controversy. The protest concluded after Pradhan resigned from his position.

Arlekar noted that while India has made progress in areas such as sports facilities, technology, and technical education, there are concerns among older generations about whether sufficient emphasis is being placed on building character in young people. "Where is the character? That is the question that elderly people have today," he remarked.

According to the Governor, character development and cultural values were historically nurtured within families. However, he observed that this responsibility has increasingly shifted toward educational institutions as family structures have changed. "Unfortunately, what we were in fact consistently pressing or looking at was our family life, our family, or kutumba, or parivar. That was the place we used to get our sanskar, our cultural ethos, understanding, practices, preaching. But gradually, we are lacking at that place also. Now that onus has unknowingly shifted to the educational institutions," he explained.

Arlekar emphasized that educational institutions bear responsibility beyond simply delivering curriculum content—they must also cultivate human values, humanity, and life principles in students. "These are the places where we will be learning. These are the places where we will be preaching, and these are the places where we will be propagating the values of our human life," he said.

The Governor further suggested that while institutions should maintain quality libraries, laboratories, and classrooms, they have the potential to contribute even more significantly to society beyond these basic infrastructure elements.