Left students' groups call for 2-day nationwide strike over NEET controversy

Left-wing students' organizations have initiated a two-day nationwide strike in protest against alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions. The protest follows uproar over the unprecedented situation where 67 students achieved the highest scores, including multiple top scorers from a single exam center in Haryana, sparking accusations of cheating or a possible paper leak.

The All India Students' Association (AISA) has called for the strike on June 19 and 20, citing concerns over corruption and mismanagement by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers the NEET examination. AISA's Delhi State Secretary Neha criticized Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his silence on the matter, emphasizing the distress of students and parents affected by the controversy.

During a press conference in New Delhi, NEET aspirants and students voiced their grievances, echoing demands for transparency and accountability in the conduct of the exam. Dhananjay, president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students Union, condemned the NTA, characterizing the NEET 2024 irregularities as symptomatic of broader systemic issues.
AISA has demanded a re-conduction of the NEET exam, an independent inquiry into alleged corruption, and the dissolution of the NTA. They urged students across the country to participate in the strike to press for their demands.

Simultaneously, a group of 20 NEET aspirants filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2024 exam. This new plea also requested a Supreme Court-monitored investigation by the CBI or another independent agency into the alleged irregularities. It further sought directions to the NTA and related authorities to conduct a fresh examination.

In response to mounting pressure, the central government and the NTA informed the Supreme Court that they had rescinded grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates who appeared for the exam. These candidates now have the option to either re-take the exam or forfeit the compensatory marks given to them due to the delay during the test. A retest is scheduled for June 23 for those opting for a re-examination.

The NEET-UG 2024 exam, conducted on May 5 across 4,750 centers, saw approximately 24 lakh candidates participate. The results, originally slated for release on June 14, were announced earlier on June 4.