NSUI protests alleged NEET-UG irregularities and UGC-NET cancellation

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on June 24 against alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam and the cancellation of UGC-NET exams.

NSUI members gathered in significant numbers to voice their concerns over the medical entrance exam. The organisation plans to march and gherao Parliament when the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha commences. However, police officials stated that no permission has been granted for such a march, and security measures are in place to prevent any unauthorised attempts.

The Union Education Ministry has responded to calls for cancelling the NEET-UG exam held on May 5, stating that reported malpractices were "localised" or "isolated" incidents. The ministry argued that cancelling the exam would unfairly impact the careers of lakhs of candidates who cleared it legitimately.

In response to the allegations, the CBI has filed an FIR under IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating), among others.

The UGC-NET-2024 exam, conducted on June 18 for selecting junior research fellows, assistant professors, and PhD scholars, was postponed due to concerns over the "integrity of the examination." The National Testing Agency (NTA) had administered the exam in two shifts across the country before the postponement was announced.