The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) on Monday, 18 May staged protests across New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh over the alleged NEET paper leak, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a complete ban on the National Testing Agency (NTA). The demonstrations drew students and youth workers who alleged that lakhs of aspirants have been systematically harmed by recurring irregularities in competitive examinations.

Key Demands at the Protest

NSUI workers gathered at multiple locations to press two central demands: the immediate resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan and the dissolution of the NTA. Protesters alleged that the Education Minister has remained indifferent to the crisis despite repeated incidents.

'Our clear demand is that NTA should be banned and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign. Repeated paper leaks are affecting lakhs of students. Students prepare for an entire year, and in the end they find out that the paper has been leaked,' one protester said.

Demonstrators also questioned the scope of the alleged leak, noting that while one beautician had been arrested in connection with the case, they argued that a single individual could not have orchestrated a breach at such scale within a large examination system.

Students Cite Mental Health Crisis and Shattered Aspirations

Several protesters raised alarm over the psychological toll on examination aspirants. One demonstrator alleged that the controversy had pushed many students into severe stress, with some reportedly dying by suicide.

'I want to ask Dharmendra Pradhan one question — who will answer for the sleepless nights of hard work and shattered dreams? If exam papers start being sold in markets, then who will inspire students to study honestly? Many students are mentally tortured because of paper leaks, and some are even dying by suicide. Yet the Education Minister seems completely insensitive to the issue,' the protester said.

Protesters also highlighted the financial burden on families, arguing that parents who invest their savings in their children's preparation are equally affected when examinations are compromised.

Unique Protest in Uttar Pradesh's Basti

In Basti, Uttar Pradesh, NSUI workers staged a symbolic demonstration by distributing jhalmuri — a street snack — to draw attention to the dual concerns of alleged paper leaks and rising youth unemployment. The gesture was a pointed reference to a widely cited remark attributed to the Prime Minister about self-employment in the informal sector.

'The Prime Minister himself had once said that if youth are not getting employment, they should sell fritters (pakodas). Today, due to lack of jobs, young people are being forced to sell jhalmuri. This government is completely anti-student and anti-youth,' a protester alleged.

Pattern of Alleged Leaks Cited

Protesters alleged that paper leak incidents had occurred in 2021, 2024, and again in 2026, and claimed that 89 different exam papers had been leaked over the past 10 years — figures attributed to the protesters themselves and not independently verified. They argued the pattern reflects a systemic failure in ensuring examination integrity.

'The way NEET papers are continuously getting leaked, and 89 different exam papers have been leaked in the last 10 years, is proof that the BJP government is weak — that is why every exam paper gets leaked,' a protester alleged.

What Comes Next

The NTA and the Ministry of Education had not issued a formal response to the protest demands at the time of reporting. With NSUI's agitation spreading to multiple states, pressure on the Centre to address examination integrity concerns is likely to intensify. Any government response — or the absence of one — will be closely watched by student organisations and opposition parties ahead of forthcoming examinations.