Members of the All India Students Association (AISA) and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) staged a protest outside the Ministry of Education in New Delhi on Monday, adding to the growing anger over the NEET-UG paper leak, the delay in CUET-UG examinations and concerns surrounding the CBSE's digital evaluation system.
The demonstration came at a time when students across the country are questioning the handling of major examinations, with fresh Student protests emerging over repeated controversies involving the education system. Several protesters were later detained by the police during the demonstration outside the ministry.
Reports say that the latest Student protests also coincided with a call for a larger demonstration by the satirical political outfit Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, announced on social media that he would return to India on June 6 and urged supporters to join a protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Anger over exams spills onto the streets
As per reports, the protesters gathered outside the ministry said their frustration was driven by a series of controversies that have shaken confidence in national-level examinations. Demonstrators questioned why accountability had not been fixed despite repeated concerns raised by students and parents.
Speaking to reporters during the Student protests, one participant said, "We were here protesting against the leak that has been happening… Why is the government not demanding the resignation of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan?" The protester further argued that the recent paper leak controversies showed that the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the present education ministry were "not competent to handle the exam structure".
Police personnel later detained several individuals participating in the demonstration. Even as the protest unfolded, calls for action against those responsible for examination-related failures continued to gain momentum online and offline.
From NEET controversy to CBSE scrutiny
Reports say that the current wave of Student protests can be traced back to the NEET-UG examination controversy. Demands for Pradhan's resignation intensified after the National Testing Agency announced that the NEET-UG examination held on May 3 would be cancelled following a paper leak.
Fresh criticism also emerged after a 19-year-old hacker flagged alleged vulnerabilities in the CBSE's on-screen marking portal shortly after Class 12 results were declared. The development added another layer of scrutiny to the functioning of institutions linked to school and entrance examinations.
CUET glitch adds to growing frustration
The anger surrounding the education ministry deepened further after technical problems disrupted the CUET-UG examination process. According to reports, a glitch delayed the start of the morning shift by three to four hours at several centres across the country.
Such delay has led to complaints from the students as well as the parents who were already dissatisfied with the examination issues. Issues ranging from NEET, CBSE to CUET have made students' protest an expression of the demand for change within the examination system of the country.