'Modern-Day Eklavyas': Student’s Explosive 2024 Speech Is Viral Amid NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Row | WATCH

A student’s powerful speech delivered during a youth parliament session in 2024 has resurfaced and is once again going viral amid the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak row. In the widely shared speech, the student questioned the government’s “silence” over the rising number of student suicides and referred to aspirants affected by paper leaks and systemic failures as “modern-day Eklavyas,” comparing their struggles and sacrifices to the legendary figure from Indian mythology.The video has been reshared across multiple social media platforms. In the viral clip, the student says, “Even today, we witness instances where individuals have to give up their potential, just like Eklavya’s sacrifice. But this time, it’s due to organisational corruption, biased

schemes, paper leaks, and the mishandling of laws by modern-day Dronacharyas. More than 36,000 students died by suicide between 2019 and 2021, and that is not a small number.”The student further said that upon witnessing the situation, the government “woke up from its sweet slumber” and introduced the Regulatory Coaching Guidelines. However, she argued that the authorities had missed the mark with the guidelines. She added that the rules repeatedly mentioned undue stress and academic pressure on coaching students, but failed to address the larger structural issues behind that stress.Highlighting the intense competition in entrance examinations, she said, “Let’s look at some numbers, shall we? For an exam like NEET, there are 25 lakh students competing for just 50,000 seats. For an exam like JEE, there are 14 lakh aspirants vying for 14,000 seats. So no, I disagree with the government on this premise that even though coaching centres may create pressure on students, one of the major reasons for stress in their lives is the limited number of government college seats.”She concluded by saying, “A simple solution involves increasing the number of seats available, but our government has not paid heed to that either. A new regulation in the guidelines states that no student below the age of 16 can enrol in private coaching centres. However, what we are forgetting, ladies and gentlemen, is that preparation for higher competitive exams like UPSC, JEE, or NEET is not done overnight. It takes time and the effort of early foundational courses, but with such provisions, we are robbing the younger generation of beautiful opportunities.”

The video has since gone viral and garnered widespread reactions online. One user wrote, “Everyone should learn from her how to deliver an excellent speech with confidence like her.” Another commented, “I agree with her fully, and I hope politicians hear her.”Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made another breakthrough in the NEET paper leak case, arresting a woman biology lecturer who was reportedly part of the National Testing Agency (NTA) panel that prepared the exam paper. Officials said the lecturer is currently being interrogated as investigators suspect her possible involvement in the alleged racket behind the leak of the NEET-UG question paper.