India Against NTA: Students Protestors Call for an Indefinite Strike , Detained by Delhi Police

New Delhi- Apathy among students towards the education ministry and the National Testing Agency is on the rise. Following ongoing protests outside the ministry, students have now taken to the streets at Jantar Mantar. Multiple organizations, including the All-India Students Association, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, and Bhagat Singh Chatra Ekta Manch, have decided to embark on an indefinite strike.

Unfortunately, the students got detained and were divided and taken to multiple police stations all over the city.

This movement began as a simple protest call in response to the persistent controversies plaguing the education sector.

Students from all over the capital and various universities gathered at the site, united by a single thought: demanding accountability from the system that promises the basic right to education.

Despite the scorching heat and oppressive humidity, their eyes squinting against the sun and sweat pouring down their faces, they came together with passion, shouting slogans and calling for justice for all students.

The strike, being called ‘India Against NTA’ has put up the following demands- Resignation of the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Reconducting NEET-UG for every student, Ending Centralization of exams and scrapping of National Testing Agency.

Within the crowd, The Mooknayak got to talk to a few students about their demands and the protest.

Mandvi, a PhD scholar from Delhi University said that the students feel that their future is being played with.

“We demand the end of the NTA and a thorough investigation by a neutral body into the postholders of the agency. They need to be asked if the officers are in a nexus with the coaching centres,” Mandvi expressed angrily.

She further went on to claim that even after protesting outside the Ministry of Education for so many days, the union minister Dharmendra Pradhan did not come out to listen to the pleas of the students.

Dhananjay, President of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union was also present in the protest. Through The Mooknayak, he told the education minister that the students have lost trust in the process as well as NTA.

“The organization whose sole work is to conduct exams have been failing miserably. Multiple times in this month itself.”

He further stated that the government's insistence on centralizing everything—one nation, one election; one nation, one religion; one nation, one language; and now one nation, one exam—is failing. Due to this stubbornness, children are bearing the consequences.

Many prominent faces also lend support to the protest. Professor Jitendra Meena from Delhi University was also present at the site and said the current situation not just affects the students but their parents and teachers as well.

According to him, the education system has been destroyed in the last ten years, from entrances to interview processes and filling of vacancies.

Former professor and now best-selling author Laxman Yadav also found himself amidst the crowd. Having personally experienced the drawbacks of a centralized system, he offered much-needed support to the students gathered at Jantar Mantar.

Laxman Yadav revealed a very personal story about a student from Gwalior whom he knew. The student belonged to the financially weaker section and used to work part-time at a local mobile shop to earn some money and prepared for UGC NET in between with whatever time and resources he had.

He had been preparing for the paper for many years now. After the entrance, he went home thinking that he had given a good attempt and expected almost 94%. But the news of the cancellation broke him.

The student then called up Laxman Yadav and asked, “How do I explain my family that I will not be earning properly for another year, that too due to a reason for which I was not at fault?”