Education Minister Blocked from DU Event Amid Nationwide Protests Over NEET and NET Scams

New Delhi- Amid the recent alleged scams involving the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and UGC-NET exams, students at Delhi University voiced their discontent by raising slogans against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, protesting the alleged irregularities.

These protests coincided with International Yoga Day, creating a significant stir as students showed black flags during an event at Delhi University where Pradhan was scheduled to appear.

On June 21, Pradhan, who is in the midst of all the controversies, was expected to attend a Yoga Day program at the university. However, his planned presence sparked outrage among the students, who were incensed by what they perceived as his audacity to visit the campus amid the ongoing controversies surrounding the National Testing Agency (NTA) and its handling of crucial exams.

Activists from the All-India Students' Association (AISA), along with students from Delhi University, organized a protest against Pradhan's visit. They raised black flags and vocally opposed his presence, expressing their anger and frustration over the mismanagement of examinations under his oversight.

As the protest unfolded, news spread among the students that Dharmendra Pradhan, apprehensive of the backlash, had decided not to attend the event. This development was perceived as a victory by the protesting students, who saw it as evidence of the minister's fear of facing the very students whose futures had been compromised.

Anjali, General Secretary of AISA, Delhi University stated that over time, even after multiple protests, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan did not show up once to talk to the anxiety and anger-ridden students.

“The protest that we took out on 20^th June outside the education ministry resulted in our violent detainment. Later we learnt that the minister was coming to DU the very next day, that too for an event related to Yoga,” Anjali commented.

“He did not talk to the students or the protestors once but had the ‘audacity’ to show up for an event at a central university. So we thought it was important to make sure such a person does not get entry in the campus and is told to resign,” asserted the student leader.

According to her, the police on the scene attempted to stop them, but they remained determined, holding up their placards. Subsequently, the police informed them that the minister had cancelled his appearance.

Widespread Protests Take Place All Over the Nation:

Recent protests against the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Ministry of Education (MoE) have emphasized significant unrest among students throughout India.

Mehina Fatima, a student leader from SFI, told The Mooknayak that the students faced violence while protesting outside the ministry. "I personally am very hurt, my arm is injured. Many of the fellow students have received injuries on their legs while some have been kicked on their stomach by police boots."

She further revealed that the protestors were violently detained and taken to different police stations across Delhi as a scare tactic. In Delhi, students led by the central executive committee of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and All-India Students' Association (AISA) marched to the Ministry of Education to voice their grievances.

However, their peaceful protest was met with a forceful response from the Delhi Police, who manhandled and arrested several demonstrators. This heavy-handed approach has drawn criticism and highlighted the authorities' reluctance to engage constructively with the students' concerns.

In Uttar Pradesh, students organized a protest at Lucknow University under the banners of SFI and other student organizations, including the National Student Union of India (NSUI) and the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha (SCS).

The Uttar Pradesh police detained many students involved in the demonstration, reflecting a similar approach to that seen in Delhi. The students' demands included the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, whom they held responsible for the educational chaos.

In Kerala, SFI activists and other students protested in Kannur against the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam. They emphasized the waste of students' hard work, resources, and time, particularly highlighting the challenges faced by those who travel long distances to reach exam centers.

These protests highlighted the emotional and financial toll on students caused by abrupt and poorly communicated decisions from the education authorities.

In Himachal Pradesh, the protests saw a rare unity between the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who jointly staged demonstrations against the NTA.

This collaboration between student bodies from different ideological backgrounds shows the widespread dissatisfaction with the current educational administration.

The protests called for the dissolution of the NTA and demanded a more competent body to oversee national examinations.

Protests were not confined to these states alone. Massive demonstrations were also reported in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and other states, reflecting a national outcry. Students in these regions echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the NTA's handling of crucial exams like NEET and CUET, which have been marred by leaks and scams.

These controversies have significantly undermined the credibility of the examination process, causing immense stress and uncertainty for students aiming to secure their futures.

What are the Demands of the Students?

The All India Students' Association (AISA) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) have jointly articulated a series of demands aimed at addressing the current educational crisis in India:

·       Resignation of Education Minister: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must take accountability for the continuous paper leaks and immediately resign.

·       Abolishment of NTA: The incompetent National Testing Agency (NTA) should be dismantled.

·       Independent Judicial Inquiry: Instead of the CBI, an independent judicial inquiry must be conducted to investigate the NTA's paper leaks.

·       Re-examinations and New Schedule: The Ministry of Education must take responsibility for conducting re-examinations and announce a new schedule at the earliest.

·       Reversal of UGC Decision: The UGC decision to make NET the single exam for admission to all PhD programs must be revoked, ensuring universities' autonomy to conduct their own PhD entrance exams.

·       Compensation for Affected Students: Students who took the recent NET and NEET exams should be compensated by the union government.

·       Roll Back Mandatory NET Score for PhD Admissions: The recently adopted system requiring a mandatory NET score for PhD admissions should be rolled back.

·       Halt Centralized Entrance Tests: The attempts to replace existing admission procedures with centralized entrance tests should be withdrawn to prevent the nurturing of entrance exam mafias in the country.