Cinema VinesOn Saturday, Tamil Nadu actor‑MP Kamal Haasan posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that he welcomed the central government’s willingness to engage in dialogue with students protesting over the alleged leak of the NEET examination paper. Haasan said that replacing confrontation with conversation was a step in the right direction and a sign that democracy was functioning.
In his message, the veteran actor‑politician urged that any dialogue must lead to concrete and lasting reforms in India’s education system. He stressed that accountability should be universal – pellet guns, electric shock batons and lathi‑charges have no place in society, but attacks on security personnel and damage to public property must also be examined fairly. “Glad to see dialogue replacing confrontation. Dissent deserves dialogue. This is democracy in action,” he wrote.
Haasan used the occasion to call for a National Commission on Education and Examination Reform, proposing a three‑month roadmap to restore trust in examinations, reduce academic stress and modernise the system. He highlighted the death of a student named Anitha as a stark reminder of the human cost of a single high‑stakes test and urged that Tamil Nadu’s voice be heard in any reforms.
Earlier this week, the actor‑MP had condemned the use of lathi‑charges on student demonstrators. He had also expressed support for the protesters, saying, “We should have listened when one child cried. Instead, we waited until far too many of our children died. A system where coaching replaces learning, anxiety replaces curiosity, and criminality replaces merit is rotten. A nation has failed when its children are met with barricades and batons instead of answers.”
For almost a month, students have been gathering at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar under the banner of the CJP‑led protest, demanding reforms in the examination process and the broader education system. Haasan’s comments come as the government considers how best to address the concerns raised by the students and to restore public confidence in the country’s high‑stakes exams.
