Udupi: Sahabalve Organisation Udupi, the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) and the Solidarity Youth Movement jointly staged a protest at the Udupi service bus stand on Tuesday, demanding justice for students over the alleged NEET question paper leaks and expressing solidarity with students protesting on the issue across the country.
The demonstrators raised slogans, waved flags and called for reforms in the examination system, alleging that repeated irregularities had undermined the confidence of students and parents.
Protesters seek justice for NEET aspirants
Members of the three organisations gathered at the service bus stand and demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged examination irregularities.
The protesters urged the authorities to ensure transparency in the conduct of competitive examinations and called for measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.
They also expressed support for students who have been staging protests in different parts of the country over issues relating to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
Student highlights concerns over examination integrity
Addressing the gathering, Hashpreet Singh, a student from Uttar Pradesh, said he joined the protest after learning about the demonstration being organised in support of NEET aspirants and students protesting at Jantar Mantar.
He said the participation of youth, children and senior citizens reflected the growing national concern over examination irregularities.
According to him, alleged paper leaks had occurred on previous occasions and there were fears that similar incidents could recur unless systemic reforms were introduced.
Hashpreet also spoke about the pressure faced by students preparing for competitive examinations, stating that aspirants invest considerable time and effort in building their careers and should not have to face uncertainty because of alleged lapses in the examination system.
Speakers criticise government’s response
Speaking at the protest, John Castelino alleged that several students had suffered due to the NEET paper leak controversy and claimed that peaceful protests had not received an adequate response from the government.
He also criticised the reported arrest of opposition leaders during demonstrations and alleged that such actions were inconsistent with democratic principles.
Castelino said the concerns raised by students deserved serious attention and called on the government to address the issue through constructive dialogue and reforms.
Call for democratic rights and reforms
Social activist Faniraj said student groups had been protesting for nearly a month over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination process.
He said the issue had caused concern not only among students but also among parents aspiring to see their children pursue medical education.
Faniraj alleged that police action against protesters near Parliament had affected peaceful demonstrations and referred to reports of force being used during the protests. He also mentioned social activist Sonam Wangchuk, stating that his detention during a hunger strike had raised questions about the treatment of peaceful protesters.
He maintained that citizens have the democratic right to raise their concerns through peaceful protests and urged the authorities to introduce reforms that would strengthen public confidence in the examination system.
Demand for transparent examination system
The participating organisations reiterated their demand for a transparent, fair and accountable examination process that safeguards the interests of students.
They urged the authorities to thoroughly investigate allegations of examination irregularities, identify those responsible and implement measures to prevent future lapses.
The protest concluded peacefully, with organisers reaffirming their support for students seeking reforms and accountability in the country’s competitive examination system.