Student unions across India are gearing up for a nationwide strike on Thursday, July 4th, to protest alleged irregularities in major entrance exams conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF) lead the charge, holding the Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, accountable for the issues plaguing NEET, UGC NET, and other exams.
The student groups demanded Pradhan's resignation, claiming his leadership had led to a breakdown in exam integrity. They allege paper leaks, question paper compromises, and a lack of transparency in the recent NEET and UGC NET exams. Additionally, they advocate for the scrapping of the NTA and a shift towards a decentralized system for conducting entrance tests.
This follows a protest held on Wednesday at Delhi's Jantar Mantar by a broader alliance of student bodies known as the INDIA bloc. The All India Students Association (AISA), Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) joined forces with SFI and AISF, highlighting a growing wave of student discontent.
Facing mounting pressure, the government has taken some steps. Last week, NTA Director General Subodh Singh was removed, and a high-level committee headed by former ISRO chief R Radhakrishnan was established. This committee ensures transparency and smooth conduct of future NTA exams.
The situation remains critical as both NEET and UGC NET exams are under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) due to suspected irregularities. The CSIR-UGC NET and NEET-PG exams were preemptively cancelled to prevent further issues.
The upcoming student strike threatens to disrupt academic schedules and reflects students' deep frustrations with the current exam system. Whether the government's actions will be enough to appease student demands and restore faith in the NTA remains to be seen.