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Faiz Ahmed Faiz wrote an anthem for students. It feels like he wrote it at Jantar Mantar yesterday: 

Padhne walon ke naam  Wo jo ashab e tabl o alam  Ke daron par kitaab aur qalam  Ka taqaza liye haath phailaaye paunche  Aur laut kar ghar na aaye  Woh masoom jo bholpan mein  Wahan apne nanhe chiraghon ki lau le ke paunche jahan  Butt rahe tthe ghata top be-ant raaton ke saaye 

Padhne walon ke naam 

Wo jo ashab e tabl o alam 

Ke daron par kitaab aur qalam 

Ka taqaza liye haath phailaaye paunche 

Aur laut kar ghar na aaye 

Woh masoom jo bholpan mein 

Wahan apne nanhe chiraghon ki lau le ke paunche jahan 

Butt rahe tthe ghata top be-ant raaton ke saaye 

(In the name of students 

Who went to doors of their masters 

Prostrating themselves on their doorsteps 

With their books and pens 

Entreating them with open palms 

Those innocents, who in their naivete 

Took their tiny lamps, 

Their flickering hope, where 

The shadows of endless nights were being distributed.)

The monsoon rains have arrived in Delhi, washing over the historic grounds of Jantar Mantar, where thousands of students are gathering. But these rains have brought not just relief from summer heat, they have nourished what we call the “monsoon spring,” a student-led movement that has reignited India’s conscience and challenged the foundations of its democratic institutions.

Students rest on a pavement during the ongoing protest over the alleged NEET-UG examination irregularities at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on July 23, 2026. Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav.

For weeks, Jantar Mantar has been transformed from a quiet astronomical observatory into the epicenter of Naujawanon ka Inquilab (revolution of young people). Students from across the country have converged here, their voices rising to a crescendo, demanding accountability, justice, and the protection of constitutional guarantees enshrined in India’s education system. 

The monsoon spring is India’s students rising to protect their constitutional guarantees

NEET paper leaks have devastated millions of students who have dedicated their lives to education. The sanctity of meritocracy, the cornerstone of India’s education system, has been shattered by organised syndicates operating with impunity. Students who studied honestly found themselves competing against those who had purchased question papers. 

Jantar Mantar is now the epicenter of students’ resistance. 

The protests at Jantar Mantar represent a historic mobilisation. For the first time in decades, students from across castes, regions, religions, and economic backgrounds have united with a singular demand: protect the constitutional guarantee of equal access to education. 

‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ is Rahul Gandhi’s nationwide campaign

As the protests at Jantar Mantar intensified, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a nationwide campaign under the banner........

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