PETER FERNANDES
An agnostic made a surprising remark on the news channel while discussing the exist ence of God and life after death, saying, ‘humans are truly special creatures on this planet.’ And his reason behind it was that if an alien should ever come on earth, it will at once notice the difference between humans and all other creatures be cause of the societal organ isation and infrastructure humans have built. In fact, seeking order and disci pline is innate to humans, which has contributed to creating marvellous things, while also desiring to live in peace and harmony. Subse quently, while reflecting on some of the great ancient civilisations and the mag nificent monuments they left behind, one cannot help but marvel at them—a tes tament to the enduring hu man aspiration to achieve greatness. Consequently, an impor tant question also arises: what were the fundamental elements that enabled such extraordinary development, and what factors might have ultimately contributed to their decline and disappear ance? Modern Western civ ilisation is built on science and scientific knowledge. Rene Descart is considered the father of modern philos ophy, who sought the cer titude of knowledge.
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Why has India failed to apply the discipline of modern civili sation? Those who observe Indian society honestly and objectively cannot fail to notice that indiscipline has permeated almost every sphere of public life. The deeper question, therefore, is: Can indisci pline be accepted and le gitimised as discipline? Gen Z appears increasingly unwilling to accept a soci ety governed by disorder, dishonesty, and a lack of accountability. Their street protests can be understood as an expression of that frustration—a demand for a society built on discipline, honesty, fairness, and re sponsibility. At its core, that demand is both sincere and legitimate. The question, then, is not whether Gen Z should be punished for de manding change. Rather, it is whether society should pause and introspect. When a generation takes to the streets to voice its dissat isfaction with the existing order, perhaps the greater responsibility lies not in silencing that voice, but in understanding what it is telling us. Gen Z is taking to the streets to protest against paper leaks, and rightly so. This is not merely an issue of examination malprac tice; it is a matter of grave concern with far-reaching consequences for society. Corruption is one of the root causes of indiscipline, and when it enters the sa cred corridors of education, the damage extends far be yond a single examination. Schools and universities are meant to be institutions where knowledge, integri ty, discipline, and merit are nurtured to build a better society.
Yet, when these very institutions become breeding grounds for cor ruption, malpractice, and duplicity, the foundations of that society are weakened. It is therefore hardly sur prising that India continues to grapple with concerns about the employability of its graduates, while the des peration for qualifications can even drive some toward fraudulent or fake degrees. Why can’t the ruling dispen sation feel the pulse of Gen Z? It is not a rocket science to gauge their disposition. They don’t care. And it is because most of their children are studying in the universities in the western world. The pan demic of paper leaks was on full display for the whole world to see during the In dia AI summit held in Feb ruary 2026 at Bharat Man dapam, New Delhi; it faced widespread logistical chaos, high-profile cancellations, and a major plagiarism con troversy involving a Chi nese-made robot. Galgotias University is the epitome of indiscipline in the sa cred corridors of education. Galgotias University show cased a quadruped robot named Orion during a live interview, claiming it was an in house development by their research center. This explains why has Chi na moved light-years ahead of India? It’s not that India lacks intelligence; it lacks integrity. The finance minister had the audacity to say, “While exam paper leaks initially hurt students, some candi dates used the extra time before re-tests to prepare harder and improve their scores.” The news about the “Eth anol leak” has gripped the whole nation, and the cit izens of all ages are con cerned and worried as they seek answers from an undis ciplined system.
Will they get a sincere answer? Most likely not, because the pres ent dispensation has lost all moral contours. “If you want pure petrol, be ready to pay a higher price” says Gadka ri. Is it a consolation or dic tate? Government stances maintain that E20 fuel does not cause widespread en gine damage. Is this stance based on scientific data? Ironically, the stance does acknowledge that it does cause damage, but it is not widespread. Kanhaiya Ku mar, targeting the ruling government, stated, “One’s son is T20, the other’s son is E20, and both their fathers are 420.” Therefore, what is the alternative? The nation is looking up to the Gen Z to change what had become the new normal. The pres ent dispensation believed that a constitution is not the standard norm for gov erning the nation. Hence, the opposition has no role to play in governance ac cording to the authoritarian approach of the BJP gov ernment that gave a slogan, “Congress Mukt Bharat,” which explains why India has arrived at indiscipline as discipline. The leaks are found in every department of the government, and the citizens are taken for ran som for no fault of their own. Look at the roads and bridges built under the present dispensation, which have become a symbol of leakage, as they don’t stand a single monsoon. Yet, no one in the government takes responsibility, because their understanding is that every one else does it.
What every one else does may be a safe guide for fashion, but not for morality. Therefore, indisci pline is discipline, which is no discipline to be rejected. Tragically, the present dispensation takes great pleasure by comparing In dia to two indisciplined neighbouring nations, such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, and the “Andha Bakths” are delighted with such a com parison. When will India hold higher ideals and start comparing with those de veloped countries; one good example is China. Sadly, the RSS mindset is such that those belonging to the low strata of society should re main uneducated. Keeping the masses uneducated and subjugated is their ultimate goal. How can India reach higher ideals with such at titude? Nearly 94,000 govern ment schools have been shut over the past decade. For countless children, es pecially in rural India, it means the loss of their only realistic pathway to edu cation. A nation that closes schools instead of strength ening them is weakening its own future. Discipline is mostly learnt at school – the sacred grounds. It guides students’ conduct regard ing classroom behaviour, timekeeping, dress codes, and respect for peers and authority. The cause of leaks (paper leaks, roads and bridges, elections, etc.) in every sector of our nation is indiscipline.
When indisci pline becomes the new nor mal, it is not normal. Such a society cannot sustain itself for too long. For indiscipline is no discipline; it is against the human nature that always seeks order and perfection. A mature society does not fear honest criticism; it re flects upon it. Instead of dis missing or punishing Gen Z for demanding a more dis ciplined and honest society, perhaps it is time for all of us to look inward, acknowl edge what has gone wrong, and work collectively to wards meaningful change. A cry for freedom and justice rises from within. When it echoes through the streets, it becomes the voice of hope – a soothing refrain for the weary and a clarion call to all who have long endured oppression. (The author is a Priest based at Pilar, Goa)
