India's NEET exam protests spark nationwide unrest

Student groups across India have staged large‑scale protests demanding the abolition of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following a series of alleged paper‑leak scandals. Demonstrations have taken place in Chennai, Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Mumbai’s Shivaji Park and other cities, often met with heavy police deployment, tear‑gas, and lathi charges that have drawn criticism from public figures such as actors Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher.

Political parties have weighed in: the Tamil Nadu Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), BJP and the governing NDA have all issued statements, with leaders like C. Joseph Vijay, Sharmila Thackeray, and senior minister J.P. Nadda either supporting the students’ demands or accusing opposition leaders of exploiting the issue for political mileage. Parliamentary debates in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have centered on whether the Education Minister should step down before a fair discussion on the paper‑leak controversy can occur.

The protests have also prompted calls for restoring education admissions to state control, with Tamil Nadu’s health minister KG Arunraj and other state officials arguing that a single central exam creates vulnerabilities. The movement has attracted solidarity from celebrities and activists, while the government maintains it is ready to discuss the issue in parliament.