NEET-UG Protests at Jantar Mantar; NSUI Members Target NTA HQ and Lock its Office

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) staged protests in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams. NSUI members forcefully entered the National Testing Agency (NTA), locked its office, and threatened to lock NTA offices across the country if their demand to ban the agency was not met.

Meanwhile, IYC members protested at Jantar Mantar, accusing police of using batons against them. The police denied allegations of lethargy and claimed they used "mild force" when protesters pelted stones and bottles at them.

Protests at NTA Headquarters and Jantar Mantar:

During a protest led by NSUI national president Varun Choudhary, members stormed into the NTA headquarters at Okhla. They staged a sit-in inside the office for nearly an hour before leaving when senior police officers arrived. Visuals from the scene showed students raising "shut down NTA" slogans and locking the office with an iron lock and chain. A message on the lock read, "No more Corrupt NTA. #NTA BAN." There was no immediate response from the NTA about the incident.

In a separate protest, IYC workers led by national president Srinivas BV demonstrated at Jantar Mantar against the NEET-UG exam and Agnipath scheme. When they attempted to gherao Parliament, police set up barricades and allegedly resorted to lathi-charge while detaining several IYC workers.

Police Response to Protests:

A senior police officer denied allegations of lathi-charge, stating that "mild force" was used when protesters threw stones and bottles at police personnel and tried to break barricades. According to police, IYC had been given a time slot from 10 am to 1 pm for their protest but continued beyond that time and climbed barricades, prompting police action.

The officer also mentioned that some protesters tried to break barricades by pushing a parked water tanker towards them. Around 60 protestors were detained from the site.
Members of the All India Students Association (AISA) and other student outfits also demonstrated in large numbers, demanding that NTA be scrapped and calling for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

Legal Action Against Protesters:

A case was registered under sections 186 (obstructing public servant), 353 (assaulting public servant), 452 (trespassing), 342/34 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code against NSUI member Varun Chaudhary and others in connection with the protest at the NTA office.

The NEET-UG exam was conducted by NTA on May 5 with around 24 lakh candidates participating. Results were announced on June 4 but were followed by allegations of question paper leaks in states like Bihar and other irregularities. The Union education ministry cancelled UGC-NET and NEET (postgraduate) examinations after receiving inputs that their "integrity may have been compromised."