Students Demand Prime Minister’s Resignation Amid Protest
Key Points:
- Students demand fair probe into NEET paper leak in Jamshedpur
- Protesters carry objectionable posters of prime minister
- Demonstrators seek resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan
JAMSHEDPUR – A large group of students took to the streets of Jamshedpur on Friday, demanding a fair investigation into the alleged NEET paper leak. The demonstrators also sought strict action against those responsible.
The students argued that incidents of paper leaks damage the futures of lakhs of hardworking aspirants. They contended that years of preparation are undermined whenever the confidentiality of an examination is compromised, calling it unjust to those who sit for exams honestly.
During the march, several students carried posters depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an objectionable manner. Placards bearing offensive slogans were also visible among the crowd. Meanwhile, banners calling for transparency in the examination system were held aloft by many participants.
The protesters raised slogans against the central government throughout the march. Besides this, demonstrators demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged leak. A student taking part in the demonstration said the paper leak had shaken the trust of lakhs of examinees preparing for competitive exams.
However, several students also called for structural reforms to restore transparency in the examination process. In addition, slogans invoking freedom and accountability were raised by some participants during the march.
This is not the first time Jamshedpur has witnessed student-led demonstrations on national issues. Students in the city had earlier taken to the streets over matters concerning press freedom, and groups such as AIDSO have previously organised protests demanding better civic facilities. The Jharkhand Academic Council, meanwhile, has in the past conducted matriculation and intermediate examinations in the city amid heightened security arrangements, reflecting recurring concerns over exam integrity in the region. Congress workers in the city have also previously demanded fair investigations into enrollment irregularities in the education sector, while labour unions have used similar marches to press demands linked to workers’ rights. The Agnipath scheme, too, had drawn comparable protests from Congress workers in Jamshedpur in the past, indicating a pattern of youth-led agitation over central government policies in the district.
