New Delhi, June 27: The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO), alongside other student groups including Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU), All India Students Association (AISA), and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here Wednesday, demanding the National Testing Agency (NTA) be scrapped. The protest, held under the banner “INDIA AGAINST NTA,” called for resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, re-conducting of NEET for all, and an end to the centralization of exams.
The protest was ignited by the cancellation of UGC-NET examination and NEET-UG paper leak. Student leaders criticized the NTA for its failure to conduct exams properly and its involvement in corruption, putting the future of many students at risk.
Protesters held placards like “SCRAP NTA,” “DHARMENDRA PRADHAN MUST RESIGN,” “CONDUCT RE-NEET FOR ALL,” and “END CENTRALISATION OF EXAMS.”
An SIO leader told Radiance, “The government’s mishandling of education has reached alarming levels. Rampant paper leaks, last-minute exam postponements, and a complete disregard for students’ well-being have turned education into a mockery. Students face immense mental stress, financial loss, and logistical nightmares due to the postponement of exams like NEET PG and CSIR NET just a day before the scheduled date. This highlights the dangers of centralization, which the government is ardently pushing.”
He emphasized the need for reform, “Despite the introduction of paper leak laws, the integrity of our examination system has been compromised. The SIO demands resignation of the education minister, scrapping of the NTA as a testing agency, a proper SIT probe into paper leaks, and a complete restructuring of the educational system to prioritize federalism, diversification, the expansion of the public sector in education, and student-oriented policies.”
Other students questioned the NTA’s marking scheme, highlighting inconsistencies such as the awarding of 718 and 719 marks, which they argued indicated blunders in the exam process.
JNUSU president Dhananjay told the media, “Recently, two major exams, NEET and UGC-NET, were marred by significant errors, affecting lakhs of students. We demand accountability. The NTA must be scrapped, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign to take responsibility for these failures.”
The protest calls for immediate reforms to protect the interests and future of students nationwide.
