Student organisations affiliated with Left parties staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, demanding the release of detained students, an end to what they described as the criminalisation of student activism, and accountability for alleged police excesses during recent demonstrations.

The protest, organised under the slogan "Student-Youth Unity; Long Live," brought together members of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), All India Students' Association (AISA), Students' Federation of India (SFI), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and several other student groups.

The demonstration came after weeks of student-led protests over education-related issues, with organisers asserting that the movement would continue if the CJP issued another call for mobilisation.

Protesters demand release of detained students

Addressing the gathering, student leaders raised slogans demanding an immediate halt to student arrests and what they called the criminalisation of peaceful protests.

One participant associated with the DISHA organisation said students were prepared to return to Jantar Mantar if the CJP announced another protest.

"If the CJP gives a call even today, students will return to Jantar Mantar. The movement can still be revived," the speaker said.

Protesters also carried placards calling for action against police personnel over alleged use of force during demonstrations held on July 20, with one banner demanding punishment for those responsible for police brutality.

Student groups allege crackdown across states

Leaders from participating organisations alleged that students involved in the protests had faced arrests and restrictions in multiple states, including Bihar and West Bengal. They also claimed that social media accounts linked to the movement had been blocked, describing the measures as an attempt to suppress student voices.

A representative of the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan expressed solidarity with those detained and injured during the protests, assuring them that student organisations across the country would continue to support their cause.

Allegations of violence during protests

During the protest, members of AISA alleged that more than 300 students were arrested in Bihar during recent demonstrations and claimed that several protesters sustained injuries during police action.

Some speakers also alleged that four students were injured after being shot near AIIMS Patna, with two reportedly requiring major surgeries. These claims were made by protest organisers during the demonstration. Independent official confirmation of the allegations was not immediately available.

Movement likely to continue

The protesters concluded the demonstration by reiterating their demands for the release of detained students, an end to police action against student activists and greater protection for the right to peaceful protest.

Organisers indicated that they would continue mobilising students and return to Jantar Mantar if a fresh call for demonstrations is issued in the coming days.

The credibility of the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MH CET) has come under scrutiny after students and educators flagged unusual differences between Class 12 board examination marks and MH CET 2025-26 scores. The debate has intensified into a demand for the re-examination of the top 150 MH CET rankers under supervised conditions to verify the authenticity of the results.

The issue has gained widespread attention amid growing concerns over the integrity of competitive examinations, particularly after recent national controversies surrounding entrance tests.

What triggered the demand for a re-test?

The call for a re-test was initiated by Advay Joshi, a former student of the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) and founder of Swayam Physics. After analysing MH CET results over the past several years, Joshi claimed there has been a significant shift in the relationship between Class 12 Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) scores and MH CET performance since 2022.

According to his analysis, students who traditionally secured more than 90 per cent in PCM subjects also ranked among the top performers in MH CET. However, recent results, he argues, show a different pattern.

Why are students questioning the results?

The controversy stems from instances where students with comparatively low Class 12 PCM marks reportedly secured exceptionally high MH CET percentiles, while several board examination toppers received much lower rankings.

According to the data cited by Joshi:

• Some students with 45–60 per cent marks in Class 12 PCM reportedly scored 95–100 percentile in MH CET.
• The MH CET 2025-26 topper is reported to have scored 51.67 per cent in Class 12 PCM and 50 per cent in Class 10.
• The second-ranked candidate reportedly obtained around 51 per cent in Class 12 and 44 per cent in Class 10.
• Data released by the CET Cell reportedly shows that nearly 200 candidates scoring 98–100 percentile had 40–50 per cent in Class 12 PCM.
• At the same time, around 50 students with over 90 per cent PCM marks reportedly scored only around the 30th percentile in the entrance examination.

These figures have prompted students, parents and coaching institutes to seek greater transparency in the evaluation process.

Demand for independent verification

Those raising concerns are not seeking cancellation of the examination but are calling for the top 150 rank holders to undergo a supervised re-test to determine whether the published rankings accurately reflect students' abilities.

Supporters of the proposal argue that such a verification exercise would help restore public confidence in the examination process if the results are found to be genuine.

CET Cell rejects allegations

The State Common Entrance Test Cell has dismissed suggestions of irregularities.

CET Commissioner Dilip Sardesai stated that Class 12 board examinations and MH CET assess different competencies, making direct comparisons between board marks and entrance test percentiles inappropriate.

According to the CET Cell, its internal analysis shows an overall positive correlation between board examination performance and MH CET scores, even though individual exceptions may exist.

Political leaders seek transparency

The issue has also drawn political attention, with leaders including Rohit Pawar of the NCP, Aaditya Thackeray of Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Congress demanding greater transparency in the examination process.

While authorities have not announced any decision on conducting a re-test, calls for an independent review of the top 150 MH CET rankers continue to gain momentum, keeping the debate over examination transparency and fairness in focus.

A routine walk to class turned tragic for Jyoti, a 28-year-old PhD scholar at Panjab University, who died after allegedly suffering an electric shock on the university campus during heavy rain. The incident has sparked outrage among students, who have accused the administration of ignoring electrical safety hazards and demanded an independent investigation.

Jyoti, a fourth-year doctoral researcher in the Department of Microbiology and a resident of the university hostel, was walking to her department on Tuesday morning when the incident occurred. Originally from Mahendergarh in Haryana, she was reportedly using an unpaved strip between a road and an adjoining parking area—a shortcut frequently used by students.

The stretch reportedly contains an electricity pole, multiple electrical boxes, and underground power cables.

According to eyewitnesses, Jyoti collapsed after coming into contact with an electrical installation. A passerby attempted to revive her before she was rushed to the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR), while her body has been kept at GMSH-16 for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.

University's Initial Version Questioned

In its preliminary statement, the university said Jyoti had slipped on the rain-soaked ground and accidentally came into contact with an electrical installation.

However, students have challenged this version, questioning how the university reached that conclusion before the completion of the investigation.

They have demanded that the administration provide evidence supporting its claim and release the findings of a transparent inquiry.

Students Allege Electrical Hazards

The incident triggered widespread protests and concern across the campus, with students highlighting long-standing issues related to exposed electrical infrastructure.

Videos recorded by passersby reportedly showed stagnant rainwater covering the area where the incident occurred.

Several students alleged that damaged electrical wiring may have allowed current to spread through the accumulated water, turning the pathway into a hazardous zone.

Some students also claimed that another student had experienced an electric shock at the same location earlier the same morning.

They questioned why the area had not been barricaded or the electricity supply disconnected if authorities were aware of a possible electrical fault.

Students have urged the university administration to immediately inspect campus electrical systems, improve drainage, and implement stronger safety measures to prevent similar incidents.

Family Seeks Transparent Probe

Jyoti's family has also demanded a thorough and impartial investigation.

Her uncle, who reached the campus after the incident, questioned the university's preliminary explanation in the presence of university officials, including the Dean of Student Welfare.

He asked how the administration could conclude that Jyoti had slipped and touched an electrical installation without supporting evidence and called for complete transparency during the investigation.

According to family members, Jyoti was engaged and was due to be married soon.

Her father, who works as a bus driver and reportedly earns around ₹12,000 per month, was unable to travel immediately due to the shock. Her family also said her mother had not yet been informed of the tragedy at the time of reporting.

Safety Concerns Under Spotlight

The incident has once again drawn attention to campus infrastructure and electrical safety during the monsoon season.

Students have demanded immediate corrective measures, including regular inspection of electrical installations, proper maintenance of wiring, improved drainage around utility infrastructure, and the barricading of hazardous areas during heavy rainfall.

Police are continuing their investigation, while the post-mortem report is expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances surrounding the PhD scholar's death.

A remark by Union Minister and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha J. P. Nadda that student activists should be prepared to face police action triggered a storm in the Upper House on Wednesday, leading to heated exchanges, sloganeering by Opposition members, and the eventual adjournment of proceedings.

The controversy erupted after Opposition MPs raised concerns over the alleged entry of Delhi Police personnel into the national headquarters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to arrest student leader Aishe Ghosh.

Opposition Raises Police Action Against Student Leader

The issue was raised by CPI(M) MP John Brittas, who alleged that Delhi Police officials entered the CPI(M) office on Tuesday in an attempt to arrest Ghosh, the former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU).

According to Brittas, Ghosh's alleged offence was her participation in a student protest held at Jantar Mantar. He claimed that when questioned, police officials cited pending cases dating back to 2020–21.

"I have no problem with Delhi Police taking lawful action, but entering a national political party office without prior information is shocking," Brittas said, urging the government to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He also questioned whether the action was intended to intimidate political activists and demanded a statement from the Union Home Ministry.

Kharge Calls Incident "Shameful"

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge backed the concerns raised by the CPI(M), describing the alleged police action as "very shameful."

Kharge said police should not enter the office of a recognised national political party to arrest a leader and demanded accountability, urging the government to take action against the officers involved if procedural norms had been violated.

Opposition members continued raising slogans inside the House as they pressed for a response from the government.

Nadda Defends Police Action

Responding to the Opposition's criticism, J.P. Nadda said police were carrying out their normal law-and-order responsibilities.

Recalling his own experience as a student activist during the Emergency, Nadda said he too had faced arrests while participating in protests.

"I was also a student leader. During the Emergency, I was arrested several times. It is normal law-and-order activity which the police have to undertake," he said.

He further remarked, "Any student who wants to do activism should face police; even I faced many times during the Emergency."

The statement immediately drew loud protests from Opposition benches, with members objecting to the remark and disrupting further proceedings.

House Adjourned Amid Uproar

As the commotion continued, BJP MP Rajib Bhattacharjee attempted to make a statement but was repeatedly interrupted by Opposition members.

Unable to restore order, Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan adjourned the House until noon.

Other Parliamentary Business

Before the disruption, several ministers tabled official papers and reports in the House. These included submissions by Jayant Chaudhary for the Ministry of Education, Nityanand Rai for the Ministry of Home Affairs, and other ministers representing the Ministries of Fisheries, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Women and Child Development.

Members also tabled the Twenty-Seventh Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel concerning infrastructure development for washed coal production.

In addition, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved a motion seeking the Rajya Sabha's concurrence with the Lok Sabha's recommendation to elect two members to the Joint Committee on Offices of Profit following vacancies created by the retirement of two members.

However, the proceedings were largely overshadowed by the political confrontation over the Delhi Police action and Nadda's remarks on student activism, which became the focal point of the day's debate in the Upper House.

A brief restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post has escalated into a major regulatory issue, with the Centre summoning senior global executives from Meta and seeking a detailed explanation for what the social media giant has described as an AI moderation "glitch."

Although Meta restored the content within hours and issued an apology, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has made it clear that it considers the explanation inadequate. The incident has reignited questions about AI-driven content moderation, platform accountability, and the legal responsibilities of technology companies operating in India.

What Happened?

The controversy began after Prime Minister Modi uploaded his first direct selfie video on Instagram on July 23, which was subsequently shared on Facebook.

In the video, the Prime Minister addressed India's youth, promising strict action against examination paper leaks and announcing that the government would introduce stronger legislation to tackle the issue. Days later, the Lok Sabha passed the Anti-Paper Leak Amendment Bill amid protests from Opposition members.

However, the Facebook version of the post was briefly restricted before later being restored.

Meta acknowledged that the removal had occurred "in error" and apologised for the incident.

Meta's Explanation

According to government sources, Meta informed officials that the issue resulted from a malfunction in its AI-powered automated content moderation system.

The company reportedly explained that automated filters were reviewing multiple shared versions of the Prime Minister's post circulating across Facebook. During that process, the original post was mistakenly flagged and temporarily restricted.

Meta has reportedly:

• Apologised for the error.
• Admitted that the restriction was unintended.
• Maintained that the incident resulted from an automated system glitch.
• Offered to "ringfence" high-profile accounts to reduce the chances of similar incidents occurring again.

A Meta spokesperson stated that the content had been removed by mistake and was restored once the error was identified.

Why the Government Is Not Satisfied

Despite Meta's apology, the Centre believes the explanation raises more questions than it answers.

IT Secretary S. Krishnan said the government appreciates the company's admission but does not consider the explanation adequate.

Officials argue that simply attributing the incident to an AI malfunction is insufficient, particularly for a global technology company whose platforms rely extensively on automated moderation systems.

According to government sources, if artificial intelligence can mistakenly restrict content from the Prime Minister's verified account, Meta must clearly explain:

• Why the error occurred.
• What safeguards failed.
• How similar mistakes will be prevented in the future.
• Whether its moderation systems fully comply with Indian legal requirements.

The government has therefore summoned Meta's Global Head of Public Policy and other senior executives to engage directly with Indian authorities.

Why Summon Global Executives?

Officials say the issue extends beyond India's local operations.

By involving Meta's international leadership, the government wants to ensure that concerns raised in India receive attention at the highest levels of the company.

The move also reflects India's expectation that global technology firms remain accountable for how their AI systems operate in one of the world's largest digital markets.

Growing Questions Around AI Moderation

The incident has highlighted broader concerns about AI-driven content moderation.

As social media companies increasingly rely on automated systems to detect harmful or policy-violating content, questions have emerged about transparency, accuracy, and accountability when these systems make mistakes.

Cyber law expert Pavan Duggal argues that companies cannot simply invoke "technical glitches" when errors affect important public communications.

According to Duggal, platforms operating in India must be prepared to accept greater legal responsibility if AI moderation systems fail to comply with applicable laws.

Experts also note that governments worldwide are demanding greater transparency regarding how AI moderation systems function, how decisions are made, and what safeguards exist against significant errors.

Part of Broader Regulatory Scrutiny

The latest dispute is not an isolated incident.

In recent weeks, MeitY has taken several actions involving Meta-owned platforms, including:

• Issuing a notice to WhatsApp over its proposed username feature, citing concerns about phishing, impersonation, and digital fraud.
• Raising concerns over Instagram advertisements allegedly containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Separately, a parliamentary committee has summoned representatives of major social media companies, along with officials from MeitY and the Ministry of Home Affairs, for discussions on digital platform regulation.

Bigger Picture

The controversy reflects a broader global trend in which governments are demanding stronger oversight of major technology companies.

As artificial intelligence increasingly influences what users can view, share, or access online, regulators across countries are seeking greater transparency over algorithmic decision-making, stronger safeguards against automated errors, and clearer accountability when platform actions affect public discourse or democratic institutions.

For India, the episode underscores that AI-powered moderation systems cannot operate as opaque "black boxes." Instead, technology companies are expected to demonstrate that their automated systems are reliable, transparent, and fully compliant with Indian law.

The alleged irregularities in Punjab's pharmacy officer recruitment examination have sparked fresh political protests, with the Youth Akali Dal and the Students Organisation of India (SOI) staging a sit-in outside Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) in Faridkot. The protesters demanded the resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and Health Minister Balbir Singh, alleging accountability for the controversy surrounding the July 19 recruitment examination.

The demonstration comes amid growing concerns over examination integrity and follows a police investigation into what authorities have described as a sophisticated cheating racket.

Protest targets ministers over exam controversy

During the protest at BFUHS, Youth Akali Dal leaders accused the Punjab government of failing to prevent alleged malpractice in the pharmacy officer recruitment examination.

The opposition also alleged inconsistency in the government's stand on examination transparency, claiming that while it had demanded accountability over national-level examination controversies, it had not taken similar action in cases reported within Punjab.

Protesters warned that they would intensify their agitation if the government failed to act on their demand for the resignation of the two ministers.

Police describe case as high-tech cheating network

According to investigators, the case involves an organised cheating network that allegedly used electronic devices to help candidates during the recruitment examination.

Police said the racket reportedly charged candidates between Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 13 lakh for facilitating cheating during the test.

So far, authorities have arrested 28 candidates along with seven alleged gang members after recovering Bluetooth-enabled devices from examination centres in Faridkot, Kotkapura and Ferozepur.

The investigation is continuing to determine the full extent of the alleged network and identify others who may have been involved.

Opposition raises concerns over examination integrity

Akali Dal leader Parambans Singh Bunty Romana criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, alleging repeated examination irregularities in the state over the past four years.

The opposition argued that recurring allegations of paper leaks and organised cheating have raised serious concerns about the credibility of recruitment examinations and called for stronger safeguards to protect merit-based selection.

Focus on transparent recruitment

The latest controversy has once again brought examination security and recruitment transparency into focus. With the police investigation underway, attention is now on whether further arrests or administrative action will follow.

The outcome of the probe is expected to influence future measures aimed at strengthening security during competitive examinations and restoring confidence among candidates appearing for government recruitment tests.