Sikkim University Students' Association backs Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike, seeks exam reforms

The Sikkim University Students' Association (SUSA) has extended its support to educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities.

In a statement issued on Thursday, July 16, SUSA expressed concern over Wangchuk's deteriorating health and said his peaceful protest had evolved into a broader movement calling for transparency and accountability in India's public examination system.

Wangchuk, whose indefinite fast entered its 20th day on Friday, said he would "stay alive till July 20 at any cost", despite doctors warning that his prolonged hunger strike had reached a critical stage.

The student body alleged that repeated paper leaks, abrupt examination cancellations and administrative failures had severely undermined public confidence in national testing agencies. Referring to the 2026 NEET-UG controversy, SUSA said the cancellation of the examination following allegations of widespread paper leaks affected more than 2.28 million candidates, resulting in psychological distress, delayed admissions and financial hardship for students and their families.

It also cited similar concerns surrounding examinations such as UGC-NET and CUET.

Highlighting the challenges faced by students from Sikkim and other North Eastern states, SUSA said disruptions in national examinations disproportionately affect candidates from the region due to geographical isolation, limited access to coaching, connectivity issues and the high costs associated with travelling outside the region for preparation and counselling.

The association called for comprehensive reforms to strengthen the integrity of public examinations. Its demands include end-to-end digital encryption, biometric authentication and artificial intelligence-based monitoring to prevent paper leaks.

SUSA also proposed the establishment of an independent Examination Integrity Commission comprising representatives from the judiciary, academia, civil society and state governments to oversee the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and other examination bodies.

Additionally, it sought stronger support systems for students from remote and North Eastern regions through expanded outreach programmes, hybrid mock-test facilities and subsidised assistance. The association also urged stricter legal action against examination malpractice, regular training of officials and mandatory annual transparency audits.

Appealing to the Union government, the Ministry of Education, the National Testing Agency and the University Grants Commission, SUSA called for an immediate dialogue with Wangchuk and the implementation of time-bound reforms to restore public confidence in the country's examination system.

The protest at Jantar Mantar, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began on June 20. Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 and has remained on an indefinite hunger strike since then. The CJP has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide in connection with examination irregularities.