NEW DELHI: A day after the NEET-UG 2026 exam held on May 3 was cancelled on Tuesday amid allegations of paper leak, student and youth bodies from across the national capital continued protests on Wednesday.
Members of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) held a demonstration outside the residence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, saying that the cancellation triggered by the paper leak had jeopardised the future of more than 22 lakh medical aspirants across the country.
Calling for the minister’s resignation, the protesters raised slogans like “Paper chor gaddi chhod” and “Dharmendra Pradhan istifa do.”
Leading the protest, NSUI national chief Vinod Jakhar said, “This is not just a paper leak. This is the murder of 22 lakh students’ dreams. Dharmendra Pradhan has completely failed as the Education Minister. He must resign immediately.”
Jakhar warned that the NSUI would step up protests across states until Pradhan steps down. He also sought strict action against those involved in the NEET paper leak.
Further, the students’ union demanded restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the exam. It also called for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the leak.
Meanwhile, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also organised a massive protest outside the NTA headquarters, as they expressed frustration with irregularities in the examination process. Personnel of the Delhi Police had to resort to the use of force against ABVP activists & students and take them into custody.
Sarthak Sharma, state secretary of ABVP Delhi, said, “It is regrettable that despite being a national agency, the NTA remains dependent on private companies. We demand an impartial probe into this matter and strict punitive action against the culprits.”
Workers of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), led by Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress President Akshay Lakhra, also marched from the party office to the Raisina Road area.
Addressing the gathering, Lakra panned the NTA for failing to prevent paper leaks and alleged the involvement of BJP leaders in the scandal.