New Delhi, July 23 -- crowds in the streets, confrontations with security forces, emergency government meetings and rapidly changing political alliances.

Far less visible is the student sitting at home, waiting for an examination that may not take place, a university reopening date that remains uncertain or an internet connection that has suddenly disappeared.

The consequences can appear temporary. A school closes for several days. A university suspends lectures. An examination is postponed. Yet for students already navigating financial pressure, limited academic opportunities and fragile public institutions, even a brief disruption can reshape the course of a life.

In a recent virtual interview, Kazi Mamun, director of the Global Just...