Amid the worsening condition of unemployment among youth in India, significant protests have broken out among candidates who appeared for NTPC category in the Railway Recruitment Board exam.

They allege that the second phase of the computer-based test is an "irregularity" while the Railways Ministry says it was mentioned in the 2019 notification. The protests took the form of peaceful blocking of railway tracks but also saw burning of empty railway coaches in Bihar. The government and [police have also been criticized for heavy-handed actions against students, particularly in Prayagraj which include beatings by police.