NEET paper leak: Telangana schools, colleges shut as student bandh hits Hyderabad
Synopsis
Telangana's classrooms went dark on 24 July as a multi-party student coalition enforced a statewide bandh over the NEET paper leak scandal — shutting private schools, colleges, and even Osmania University exams. With BRS's K. T. Rama Rao joining street protests and Left student groups rallying from Narayanaguda to Y Junction, the crisis has moved well beyond Delhi and is now a pan-India student flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
A majority of schools and colleges in Telangana remained closed on 24 July due to a student-called bandh over the NEET paper leak .
Osmania University postponed all examinations scheduled for the day.
Seven student organisations — including SFI , AISF , and NSUI — jointly called the statewide shutdown.
Protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and strict action against those behind the paper leak.
BRS working president K.
Rama Rao joined a parallel protest at Indira Park, Hyderabad , posting on X that dissent cannot be silenced by force.
A majority of educational institutions across Telangana remained closed on Friday, 24 July as Left-affiliated student organisations enforced a statewide bandh to protest alleged police action against students demonstrating in New Delhi over the NEET paper leak controversy. The shutdown, backed by a joint forum of student groups, also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Scale of the Shutdown
Managements of private schools and colleges in Hyderabad and surrounding districts declared holidays as a precautionary measure ahead of the bandh. A handful of institutions remained operational. Osmania University postponed all examinations scheduled for the day, signalling the disruption's reach beyond schools into higher education.
Who Called the Bandh and Why
A joint forum comprising the Students' Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Federation (AISF), National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), All India Forum for Democratic Students (AIFDS), All India Students Bloc (AISB), and All India Progressive Students Union (AIPSU) issued the shutdown call. The groups cited alleged 'police brutalities' against students protesting in the national capital and demanded accountability over NEET exam paper leaks and irregularities in the conduct of the examination. Student organisations held a rally from Narayanaguda to Y Junction in Hyderabad as part of the bandh.
BRS Joins the Protest
Separately, hundreds of students and youth gathered at Indira Park in Hyderabad for a protest organised by the student wing of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), expressing solidarity with demonstrators in New Delhi. BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao joined the protest. In a post on X, Rama Rao stated that the voice of India's youth cannot be crushed through force, and appealed to students, youth, and all who believe in democracy to stand up for the constitutional right to dissent.
Core Demands
Across both protests, student groups converged on three demands: the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, strict action against those responsible for the NEET paper leak, and greater transparency in the national examination system. This comes amid a widening political controversy over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), with protests erupting in multiple states and the matter drawing scrutiny in Parliament.
What Comes Next
The Telangana bandh adds regional momentum to a national movement that has already seen student demonstrations in New Delhi and other cities. With opposition parties amplifying the demands and the Centre yet to announce concrete structural reforms to the examination framework, pressure on the Union government is likely to intensify in the days ahead.
Point of View
Multi-organisation shutdown across an entire state's education system. The involvement of both Left student federations and a regional party like BRS signals that the NEET controversy is being absorbed into broader political fault lines — not just an exam integrity dispute but a referendum on Centre-state accountability in education. The government's silence on structural reform to NEET's conduct is feeding, not calming, the agitation. Unless the Centre moves beyond optics — a CBI probe announcement or an interim relief mechanism for affected students — the protests risk hardening into a sustained electoral liability ahead of state cycles.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did student groups call a bandh in Telangana on 24 July?
Student organisations called a statewide bandh of educational institutions on 24 July to protest alleged police action against students demonstrating in New Delhi over the NEET paper leak and to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The shutdown was backed by a joint forum of seven Left-affiliated and national student bodies.
Which institutions were affected by the Telangana bandh?
A majority of private schools and colleges in Hyderabad and surrounding districts declared holidays. Osmania University also postponed all examinations scheduled for 24 July. A few institutions remained open.
What are the key demands of the protesting students?
Protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, strict legal action against those responsible for the NEET paper leak, and greater transparency and accountability in the national examination system.
What role did BRS play in the Telangana protests?
The student wing of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) organised a separate protest at Indira Park in Hyderabad. BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao joined the demonstration and posted on X that the constitutional right to dissent cannot be suppressed through force.
What is the NEET paper leak controversy?
The NEET paper leak controversy refers to allegations of irregularities and question paper leaks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), a central medical entrance examination. The controversy has triggered widespread student protests across India and drawn political demands for accountability from the Union government.
