Student Organisations Protest NEET Paper Leak

Kakinada:Student organisations staged protests in Kakinada, Rajamahendravaram, Bhimavaram and other parts of the Godavari region on Friday, demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak.

The protests were organised in response to a bandh call by student organisations. While several private educational institutions remained closed, government schools functioned as scheduled as they hosted the Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting.

In Kakinada, activists of the SFI, DYFI, AIYF, PDSU etc staged a demonstration in front of JNTUK.

Addressing the protesters, the student leaders criticised the deployment of police personnel at government educational institutions and alleged that the Centre had failed to take responsibility for the irregularities in the NEET examination. They also criticised the police action against protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The leaders alleged that the appointment of representatives of corporate educational institutions to public offices undermined the interests of public education.

SFI district secretary Ganga Suribabu, AIYF state associate secretary Y. Babi, Students' JAC state secretary Bulli Raju, PDSU state associate secretary Siddu and other leaders participated in the protest.

In Rajamahendravaram, SFI activists took out a rally in support of the bandh and staged a demonstration in front of the Government Junior College.

At Bhimavaram, members of student organisations led by the SFI staged a dharna at Prakasam Chowk and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dharmendra Pradhan.

Students protest across Vizag over NEET paper leak, police action

VISAKHAPATNAM: Student and youth organisations on Friday organised protests across Visakhapatnam as part of a state-wide bandh over the NEET paper leak and police action against protesting students at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi earlier this week.

Their demands include fixing responsibility over the alleged NEET examination irregularities.

Private schools and colleges remained closed in response to the bandh call, while government educational institutions functioned as scheduled and conducted the Parent-Teacher Meetings under police security.

A human chain had been organised at Maddilapalem Junction under the leadership of Disha, PDSO, AISF and SFI. Protesters staged a demonstration at Dr V.S. Krishna Government Junior and Degree College, raising slogans against the central government.

Addressing the gathering, PDSO district secretary Lakshmi charged that students who had assembled to seek justice over the alleged NEET irregularities had been subject to lathi-charge, tear gas, and illegal detention. “Instead of addressing their legitimate demands, the government has erected barricades and deployed police forces against the students. Detaining students illegally is a violation of democratic values,” she said.

Leaders of student and youth organisations alleged that several examinations conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) have been affected by irregularities. They called for reforms in the conduct of entrance examinations, obviating the need for re-exams.

The students urged the government to strengthen employment opportunities in fields such as agriculture, pharmacy, and veterinary sciences to reduce pressure on students pursuing medicine and engineering.

The protesters demanded the resignation of union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him morally responsible for the alleged NEET paper leaks in 2022, 2024, and 2026. They sought justice for students whose deaths are related to the NEET controversy.

Protests had also been held near the Gandhi Statue at the GVMC office, where SFI leaders said their agitations in Visakhapatnam would continue.