Amid the ongoing row caused by NEET-UG papers leak, CUET-UG exam delay and CBSE’s paper screening portal under students’ scrutiny, fresh protests broke out on Monday outside the Education Department in Delhi.
Members of the All India Students Association (AISA) and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) staged a protest outside the ministry against leakage of NEET-UG papers and other issues.
The protest also took place as the political satirical group Cockroach Janta Party issued a protest call on 6 June. Abhijit Debaki, founder of the CJP, announced on social media on Monday that he will return to India on June 6, and called on his supporters to join him in protesting and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Read also | ‘Meet me at the airport’: Sarsoor Janta Party founder’s step-by-step plan for protest in Delhi
At the same time, police arrested a number of demonstrators outside the ministry.
“We were here to protest against the leak that is happening… Why is the government not demanding the resignation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan?” One protester told news reporters, adding that recent paper leaks only showed that the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the current Ministry of Education “are not qualified to handle the exam structure.”
The young protester added in a video published by the National News Agency, “We will not allow this government to manipulate our future. We are not afraid of anything. The Minister of Education will have to resign.”
The protester also referred to the ‘cockroach’ remark made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, which created a sensation among Indian youth and also played a role in the formation of the Cockroach Janta Party.
“If the Chief Justice believes that students are cockroaches, then the treatment of students in the country shows that we treat them like these insects,” she said. The CJI said he was only referring to the fake degree holders when he used the words ‘cockroaches’ and ‘parasites’.
The protester said the leaders’ statements showed that “we will be crushed even when all we demand is better education.”
Calls for Pradhan’s resignation began after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced that the NEET-UG exam, held on May 3, would be canceled due to paper leak.
Amid the turmoil caused by the NEET paper leak, a fresh row has emerged after a 19-year-old hacker reported concerns in the on-screen marking portal of the Central Board of Secondary Education, soon after the board announced Class 12 results.
Moreover, anger towards the Education Department has been growing after a technical glitch was reported during the CUET UG exam. The glitch delayed the start of the morning shift by up to three to four hours in several centers across India, leading to protests by students and parents.
