Home Ministry suspends mobile internet near Jantar Mantar for 8 hours amid NEET protests
Synopsis
The Home Ministry's decision to cut mobile internet around Jantar Mantar for eight hours on 23 July signals a hardening posture toward student protesters even as the government simultaneously claims its dialogue doors are open 24x7 — a tension that defines the current NEET stalemate.
Key Takeaways
The Union Home Ministry suspended mobile internet within a 1.5-km radius of Jantar Mantar from 4 pm to midnight on 23 July .
The order was issued under the Telecommunication Act, 2023 and cites 'public order' and 'prevention of incitement to offence.' Under Secretary Mahendra Vikram Singh signed the directive covering all mobile internet technologies.
MoS Jitendra Singh said the government made four formal dialogue proposals to protesting students in the past 24 hours , describing them as 'unresponsive.' Union Minister J.P.
Nadda has been named the government's interlocutor; students may choose the time and topics of discussion.
Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike entered its 26th day on Thursday; CJP-led student protests at Jantar Mantar have been ongoing for over a month.
The Union Home Ministry on 23 July ordered the suspension of mobile internet services for eight hours — from 4 pm to midnight — within a 1.5-km radius of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, citing the need to maintain public order amid ongoing student protests against exam irregularities, including the NEET paper leak. The directive was issued under the Telecommunication Act, 2023 and the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024.
The Official Order
The suspension order was signed by Under Secretary Mahendra Vikram Singh, directing the shutdown of mobile internet services across all technologies effective 16:00 hrs on 23 July through 24:00 hrs on 23 July. The Ministry stated that the Secretary was satisfied the measure was necessary in the 'interest of public order and for preventing incitement to the commission of any offence'. The order draws its authority from clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 20 of the Telecommunication Act, read with the 2024 suspension rules.
Government's Outreach to Protesters
Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh said the government had made four formal proposals for dialogue with the protesting students in the preceding 24 hours, but described them as having remained 'unresponsive and uncommunicative.' He said the government had reached out with 'utmost humility,' stressing that dialogue was the only constructive path to resolving the stalemate.
'We are waiting for them. Our doors are open 24x7. We have approached them at least four times in the past 24 hours. We seek their participation in talks on all issues, including NEET,' Singh said. He added that Union Minister J.P. Nadda, designated as the government's interlocutor, would hear out and address student concerns, with the students free to choose 'hours and topics of discussion.' Talks could be held at Nadda's office or residence at any convenient time, Singh indicated.
Fast-Track Courts and PM's Stated Concern
Singh also reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sensitive to the students' concerns and had announced the setting up of fast-track courts to ensure speedy prosecution of those behind paper leaks. The courts are intended to ensure that the guilty 'face the law and get punished for their acts while justice is delivered without delay,' according to Singh.
Protests and Hunger Strike
Student demonstrations over the NEET paper leak, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), have continued at Jantar Mantar for over a month. Separately, social activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike entered its 26th day on Thursday. The internet shutdown marks an escalation in the government's crowd-management response and is the latest in a series of such orders issued at protest venues across India in recent years. Whether the suspension achieves its stated public-order objective — or further inflames tensions — remains to be seen.
Point of View
It risks being another headline gesture. With Sonam Wangchuk on a 26-day hunger strike and student agitation now a month old, the government's credibility on NEET reform will be judged by outcomes, not outreach tallies.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Home Ministry suspend mobile internet near Jantar Mantar?
The Union Home Ministry suspended mobile internet services within a 1.5-km radius of Jantar Mantar on 23 July for eight hours, citing the need to maintain public order and prevent incitement to offences amid ongoing student protests over the NEET paper leak. The order was issued under the Telecommunication Act, 2023.
How long was the mobile internet suspended near Jantar Mantar?
The suspension covered eight hours, from 4 pm (16:00 hrs) to midnight (24:00 hrs) on 23 July, across all mobile internet technologies within a 1.5-km radius of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
What is the government's position on talks with the NEET protesters?
Minister of State Jitendra Singh said the government made four formal dialogue proposals to the protesting students within 24 hours but received no response. The government has designated Union Minister J.P. Nadda as its interlocutor and offered students the freedom to choose the time and topics of discussion.
What are fast-track courts and why were they announced?
Fast-track courts are special judicial bodies designed to expedite trials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced their establishment to ensure speedy prosecution of those responsible for the NEET paper leak, with the stated aim of delivering justice without delay.
Who is Sonam Wangchuk and what is his connection to the protests?
Sonam Wangchuk is a social activist whose hunger strike entered its 26th day on 23 July, running concurrently with the CJP-led student demonstrations at Jantar Mantar that have been ongoing for over a month over NEET exam irregularities.
