By Mohammed Mujahid
Hyderabad: In a significant escalation of student unrest against national examination standards, the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) Telangana held a high-decibel protest at the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Statue near Liberty Circle on Wednesday. Protesters condemned the widespread irregularities, alleged paper leaks, and corruption surrounding the NEET examination process, calling for the immediate dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The landmark Liberty Circle became a sea of placards and slogans as students, activists, and concerned citizens gathered to voice their frustration. The protest focused on the systemic failure of the NTA in maintaining the sanctity of one of the country’s most competitive examinations.
Addressing the media and the gathered crowd, Mohd Faraz Ahmed, State President of SIO Telangana, did not mince words. “More than 22 lakh students across the country are being held hostage by the repeated failures and controversies of the NTA. This is not just administrative negligence; it is a blatant betrayal of the youth’s future,” Ahmed stated.
The SIO leadership highlighted that the recurring instances of paper leaks have created an atmosphere of “uncertainty and mental stress” for aspirants.
“Students spend years in rigorous preparation, often under immense financial and emotional pressure. When the system fails to provide a level playing field due to corruption, it shatters their confidence in the nation’s meritocracy,” Ahmed added.
The organisation alleged that the NTA has lost its credibility and failed to ensure a transparent examination environment, leading to a direct demand for the resignation of the Union Education Minister.
As the protest concluded, the SIO Telangana zone submitted a memorandum outlining four non-negotiable demands:
Immediate Prosecution: Stringent action against those involved in the paper leak syndicates and administrative corruption.
Political Accountability: The resignation of the Union Education Minister over the failure to protect the interests of 2.2 million aspirants.
Scrapping of NTA: The dissolution of the National Testing Agency, citing its inability to conduct fair and credible exams.
Systemic Reform: The establishment of a new, transparent, and student-friendly examination system that is free from external influence.
The SIO has warned that if the government fails to respond to these grievances, they will intensify their stir across the state. The protest reflects a growing nationwide scepticism regarding the centralised testing mechanism, with Hyderabad becoming a focal point for student resistance in the region.
