Wangchuk’s Protest: Wisdom Over Slogans

 “School nahi lagta seekhne ke liye, na keetabe lagti hai — iske liye curiosity lagta hai, iske liye pyaar mohobbat wala ek mahaul lagta hai; toh mai apne ma ki godh mein, bade bhoodhon ke godh mein, kisaano ke saath khet mein beej daal kar seekhta raha — I have never allowed my schooling to interfere with my education.” 

Sonam Wangchuk, a name that speaks louder than history, has contributed in ways more than one. He addressed Ladakh’s water crisis with artificial glaciers, designed mud homes that stay warm using passive solar heating. He developed solar‑heated tents for Indian Army personnel in high‑altitude border areas, and established inclusive educational institutions that go beyond traditional classrooms.

 

Whereas Dharmendra Pradhan, the man our nation refers to as the Education Minister, in his five years of tenure, saw seven major paper leaks and controversies, including NEET UG 2026, UGC‑NET 2026, NEET UG 2024, UGC‑NET 2024, CUET‑UG 2026, JEE Main 2021 and NEET UG 2021. So approximately, every nine months there was a significant breach. Solely so that public servants do their duties, a remarkable citizen like Sonam Wangchuk sits on strike.

 

Wangchuk’s demands are simple and they strike debates. He calls for urgent NEET exam reforms, statehood for Ladakh, and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule, backed by Public Service Commission and protection of Ladakh’s fragile environment. He also seeks separate Lok Sabha seats for Lee and Kargil to ensure equal representation in Parliament. 

 

Over 22 lakh students appeared for NEET. When the paper leak controversy emerged, it was not just another news story. For countless aspirants, this was not just an exam. It was years of sacrifice, dreams and trust. It created uncertainty, anxiety and serious questions about whether the system they trusted was fair. Whether people agreed with every response or not, one thing became undeniable: public trust had been shaken. Exam transparency and accountability became a larger national conversation. Now imagine hearing that its integrity has been questioned. This issue deserves attention not because of who raised it, but because of the millions it affects.

 

Ladakh is home to one of the world’s most fragile Himalayan ecosystems. Its glaciers are a vital source of water for millions downstream.The protest is not about a single issue; it includes calls for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, greater local participation in governance, protection of the Himalayan ecosystem and broader concerns about trust and accountability in public institutions, including education. The government says development and administrative efforts continue, but the key demands remain unresolved. That is why the hunger strike continues. 

 

It is pertinent to note that in our nation there is a relatively small startup culture and a severe lack of infrastructure to support them. Instead, the system runs on competitive exams, reinforcing a relentless hustle culture. Ultimately, the general public aims to crack these competitive exams to build a stable career and income. Yet an exam that is conducted annually keeps getting leaked, and the government shows neither accountability nor even basic acknowledgement.

 

The Central Bureau of Investigation identified NEET 2026 paper leak as an organised crime, operating across Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Delhi, involving coaching centre operators, dummy candidates, and insiders. The consequences of such extended to both mental and physical well-being of students. Yet the government appeared indifferent. What fuels this situation even more is that this is not the first time such breaches have occurred. 

 

In 2021, JEE Main, UGC NET and NEET all faced paper leaks. This was followed by the NEET 2024 scandal and the UGC NET paper, which was cancelled the day after it was conducted.

 

The students and Sonam Wangchuk are the true victims of this case, as they continue to suffer because of the system’s incompetence and lack of accountability. Public servants are treated as supreme, and that is wrong. The VIP culture should be abolished, and institutions must enforce proper functioning. Our focus should not be on bringing each other down, but on uplifting each other. The solution is not more slogans, but a clear bargain: a secure, transparent exam system and genuine constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. For the controversies that have occurred, establishing a Public Inquiry Report for each case, alongside a National Education Integrity Mission, stands as a viable action. I firmly stand by the view that our society is powerful enough to reform, and so is our system.

 

Be the person who reads before they react, because the loudest opinions usually come before the reading.

 

I firmly put across that if Sonam Wangchuk dies for our generation’s future, while we fail to stand with him, history will remember us as a generation of cowards. 

 

 

Until next time

Signing off, 

Levishka Khurana