Rajasthan Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully on 15 August 2025 held a wide-ranging dialogue with nearly 50 Gen Z students at Gandhi Vatika in Jaipur on Independence Day, engaging on issues from paper leaks and school infrastructure to artificial intelligence access and political participation. Jully committed to placing several of the students' concerns before the Rajasthan Assembly when the session opens on 20 August.

Key Issues Raised by Students

The interaction, organised by People for Democracy, brought together students from different educational streams. Concerns raised spanned examination integrity, AI affordability, teacher shortages, unsafe school buildings, unemployment, and youth entry into public life.

Aysha, a NEET aspirant from Ramganj, pressed Jully on recurring paper leaks and demanded assurances for students. Jully promised to raise the issue in the Assembly and push for a more secure examination framework. 'Students should not suffer because of failures in the system,' he said.

On AI Access and Education Infrastructure

Responding to questions about the growing role of artificial intelligence, Jully noted that many AI tools carry paid subscription costs that are out of reach for most students. He said that if the Indian National Congress (INC) returns to power in Rajasthan, the party would consider government support to help students access paid AI platforms.

On school infrastructure, Jully claimed that more than 45,000 schools in the state require repairs and alleged that the current state government has not adequately addressed the problem. Participants pointed to unsafe buildings, teacher shortages, and ongoing protests by school students as evidence of the crisis.

Youth in Politics and the Jobs Question

Asked how young people inspired by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's outreach to Gen Z could enter politics, Jully said the party was considering reserving 50 per cent of its opportunities for young people. He encouraged participation in public life but drew a firm line: 'Politics is service. If you are coming into politics considering it a business, don't come.'

On employment, Jully acknowledged that the number of aspirants preparing for government jobs far exceeds available vacancies. He argued the long-term answer lies in skill development, human resource training aligned with career goals, and promotion of small businesses and cottage industries to spread economic opportunity to the grassroots.

Jaipur as a Future IT and AI Hub

Jully pointed to Jaipur's untapped potential in the technology sector, suggesting the city could evolve into an IT and AI hub comparable to Bengaluru. He floated the idea of developing a dedicated technology-oriented district near the state capital. 'Jaipur lacks nothing,' he said.

Historical Reflections on Independence Day

In his opening remarks, Jully recalled the sacrifices of India's freedom struggle and credited a succession of national leaders for the country's development — citing former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for building foundational institutions, Indira Gandhi for bank nationalisation, Rajiv Gandhi for the IT revolution, Atal Bihari Vajpayee for highways and river-linking, and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for steering the economy through a period of severe global stress.

The dialogue was held before a sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi walking behind a young boy carrying Gandhi's stick — a setting Jully used to draw a parallel between Gandhi's guidance of younger generations and the Congress's stated intent to place youth at the forefront of its politics. With the Assembly session days away, the students' concerns now have a formal legislative platform.