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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday asserted that the Central government is "very sensitive" to the issues facing the youth, particularly regarding exam paper leakages.
In an interview with ANI, the Minister highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already responded to the situation, ensuring that those who "violated the sacredness" of examinations will face swift justice. Addressing the recent controversies surrounding competitive exams, Sitharaman stated that the government's proactive stance renders the opposition's "tirade" baseless. "A matter which relates to students, young people of this country, particularly about their preparation for exams, exam paper leakage and re-exam... these are very, very sensitive for that age of the children who are undergoing the preparation. If the government is not sensitive or not reacting, I can understand the opposition going on a tirade like this. At the level of the Prime Minister, a response has been given," Sitharaman told ANI. The Finance Minister pointed out that the government had initiated action even before the formal announcement of administrative measures. "In fact, much before today's announcement of setting up fast-track courts and assuring the punishments will be handed over to those people who violated the sacredness of an exam by leaking the papers, by buying papers, by selling papers--even earlier to this announcement, the government arrested those people who actually committed this crime," she said. Describing the perpetrators as "ordinary citizens" driven by "selfish reasons," she said that they have been taken into custody for compromising the careers of thousands of students. "They are people who, for their selfish reasons, violated and bought and sold papers. They have all been arrested. Today's announcement by the Prime Minister assures the citizens, the mothers and the fathers who are supporting their children to make sure that they pass these examinations because it's their career," she added. Sitharaman further emphasized that the establishment of a fast-track process would ensure that those who committed this "terrible crime against the young generation" are punished at the earliest. Defending the government's management of the crisis, the Minister noted that the swift conduct of re-examinations and the timely declaration of results have allowed students to proceed with their higher education plans. "Now, if this response had not come from the government--making sure that arrests are done in time, re-exams happen on time, and results are announced... young people are now finding the institutions where they have to go for their higher education. All this is happening," the Minister said. She also shared a positive perspective on the resilience of the student community, noting that many candidates used the additional time to improve their performance. "There are young people who are coming out and saying, 'Yes, first it sort of hurt me when the paper leakage happened. But later I took advantage of that and prepared even more and my performance has improved.' So there are young people who have taken this challenge and come out in bright colors. With all this, the government is responding, the PM is responding," Sitharaman concluded. (ANI)
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