Srinagar, May 14 -- By Muzamil Arif

Swami Vivekananda once described education as the force that builds character, sharpens the mind and allows a person to stand on their own feet. Millions of Indian students still believe in that promise. They wake before sunrise, study under dim hostel lights, skip family gatherings and spend years preparing for competitive examinations that decide the course of their lives.

That faith now stands shaken.

India's examination system, once viewed as the great equaliser for poor and middle-class families, faces a crisis that grows deeper with every new scandal. Allegations of paper leaks, organised cheating rackets and manipulated recruitment processes have become a recurring feature of public life.

The...