DEHRADUN: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit Dehradun on July 17 to interact directly with students and competitive examination aspirants at the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (Voice of Students) programme, modelled on his outreach to young people in Rajasthan’s coaching hub of Kota.
The event will mark Gandhi’s first direct interaction with Uttarakhand’s student community. Congress insiders said the party also views the programme as a testing ground to gauge the mood of young voters and the wider public ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The state Congress claims that lakhs of students have registered online for the programme. If the registrations translate into substantial attendance, the event could emerge not merely as a public meeting but as a major show of strength for the party’s youth-focused politics in Uttarakhand.
Congress chief state spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasouni told this newspaper that 2,54,142 students had registered on the campaign website, chhatronkigoonj.in, by Tuesday afternoon.
“The figures are rising steadily and are being updated continuously. Registrations have come not only from Uttarakhand but from students across the country,” Dasouni said.
According to her, arrangements are being made for more than 20,000 students at the Dehradun venue, while groups from across Uttarakhand are expected to attend.
“Students from the entire state are eager to hear Rahul Gandhi. The overall response could be much larger. In the coming months, the campaign will also be taken to every corner of Uttarakhand,” she said.
Dasouni said Gandhi is likely to raise issues such as unemployment, examination paper leaks, delays in government recruitment, inflation and deficiencies in the education system.
“Rahul Gandhi knows which issues matter to the people and does not deliver scripted speeches. He may use the platform to show the BJP government a mirror on unemployment, recruitment delays and education,” she said, adding that the party wanted the event to generate a wider national and social media conversation.
Political observers, however, say the real test will be how many of those registered online actually reach the venue. The Congress hopes a large turnout will demonstrate growing trust among young voters.
Gandhi’s earlier interaction with students and competitive examination aspirants in Kota had attracted national attention. The Dehradun programme is being seen as an extension of the same strategy, with the Congress moving beyond conventional rallies to youth-centric outreach centred on examinations, jobs and future opportunities.
Senior political analyst and expert on Uttarakhand affairs, Avikal Thapliyal, said unemployment had long remained one of Uttarakhand’s most pressing political issues.
“According to government and publicly available figures up to December 2025, more than nine lakh young people in Uttarakhand were seeking employment. Nearly one lakh of them were postgraduates,” he said.
“Paper leaks, delayed appointments and limited job opportunities have fuelled resentment among the youth. The Congress is trying to convert that discontent into political support,” Thapliyal added.
