Nearly 500 students marched through central Hyderabad on Friday afternoon as part of a Statewide bandh called by student organisations, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy and condemning the police action against protesters during the recent Parliament march in Delhi.
The rally, which began at Narayanguda crossroads and ended at Himayatnagar crossroads, covered a distance of around 750 metres. Students carrying Students’ Federation of India (SFI) flags and red-and-white banners walked through the busy stretch, holding placards in Telugu and English, including “No more attacks on students” and “Punish paper leak culprits”.
The protest was organised by the Telangana units of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), All India Forum for Democratic Students (AIFDS), All India Progressive Students Union (AIPSU) and All India Students Bloc (AISB). Earlier in the day, members of the student organisations appealed to educational institutions across Hyderabad to observe the bandh in solidarity with the protest.
Student leaders said they went from classroom to classroom explaining the reasons behind the bandh and briefing students about the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and the protests at the national level. A heavy deployment of police and traffic personnel accompanied the procession, regulating vehicles at key junctions and ensuring that traffic movement remained largely unaffected despite the gathering.
SFI Hyderabad president Lenin Geura said the rally was organised to condemn the alleged assault on students and youth during the Parliament march in Delhi. “Students who were raising their voice against the injustice in the education system were attacked. We demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, as he has to take responsibility for the NEET paper leak,” he said.
Narender, a student from a government college and a representative of the participating organisations, said repeated failures in the examination system had pushed the education sector into a crisis. “Students spend years preparing for competitive examinations, but repeated controversies have created uncertainty among them. The government should take strict action against those responsible for the paper leak and ensure that such incidents do not happen again,” he said.
He also demanded the scrapping of the National Testing Agency (NTA), alleging that it had failed to conduct examinations in a fair and transparent manner. “Students need a system they can trust. The examination process should not put their future at risk,” he said.
Among those who joined the march was Uday Kiran, a first year junior college student. He said he had been following the developments around the NEET controversy on social media and wanted to be part of the student representation demanding accountability. “I have been seeing social media platforms filled with discussions about this issue. I am glad that I could be part of a movement where students are raising their voice. I hope the government listens to its future generations and takes steps to address their concerns,” he said.
The protest in Hyderabad is part of a larger movement across the country, with students and educators demanding action against those responsible for the NEET paper leak and calling for reforms in the education system. The movement has gained momentum in recent days, with protests and rallies being held in several cities across India.
In a related development, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to roll back NEET and restore transparent, merit-based State CETs (Common Entrance Test) for medical admissions, respecting India’s federal structure. He has also appealed to the Prime Minister to provide a compensation of at least ₹1 crore to the families of students who ended their lives owing to the NEET paper leak and the ‘systemic failures’ that followed.
Dr. Parameshwara further appealed to the Prime Minister to initiate a meaningful dialogue with students, educators, academic institutions and all stakeholders to undertake comprehensive reforms besides ordering an impartial inquiry and taking strict action against those responsible for the lathi-charge and use of tear gas against peacefully protesting students.
He said, “The shocking part has been the response to these voices of concern. Images of students being subjected to lathi-charges, tear gas, and forcible dispersal while peacefully expressing their anxiety have caused immense pain to citizens across the nation. A democracy must never fear the voices of its young people. Their questions deserve answers, not barricades; their concerns deserve engagement, not suppression.”
