NEET protests: From PM Modi's assurances to Wangchuk ending fast – What happened in last 24 hours
The Union government has taken multiple steps over the past 24 hours, apparently to defuse the mounting anger over the NEET paper leak controversy, as
The Union government has taken multiple steps over the past 24 hours, apparently to defuse the mounting anger over the NEET paper leak controversy, as students intensify their protests, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Amid these efforts, activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his hunger strike at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram in the presence of Union ministers. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi made two announcements – one on X and another through a self-recorded video- the government appointed IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, replacing incumbent officer Vineet Joshi. Quick answers to key questions • 5 QUESTIONS 1 What recent actions has the Indian government taken regarding the NEET paper leak controversy? ⌵ The government has appointed IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as the new Secretary of Higher Education, established a fast-track court for paper leak cases, and announced tougher anti-paper leak measures in response to student protests. 2 Why are students protesting against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan? ⌵ Students are demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation due to a series of failures related to the NEET paper leak, which they view as damaging to the integrity of the examination process. 3 How did Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike impact the NEET protests? ⌵ Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after negotiations with government officials, which helped draw attention to the NEET protests and the students' demands.
4 What are the main demands of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) concerning the NEET protests? ⌵ CJP demands include the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, ₹1 crore compensation for families of students who died by suicide, and assurances that peaceful protesters will not face prosecution. 5 Should the government implement more stringent measures against examination paper leaks? ⌵ Many believe more stringent measures are necessary to restore public confidence in the examination system and to prevent future incidents of paper leaks, as highlighted by the ongoing protests. The government set up a fast-track Court at the Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital to try paper leak cases. The move came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it on Thursday morning in a social media post. PM Modi’s announcement came as crowds continued to swell around Jantar Mantar — the main protest site in Delhi. The protest by the Cockroach Janta Party began on 20 June. The students are demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan over a series of failures, including leaked test questions in NEET -- the country’s largest medical entrance exam. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh bid in the night as students prepared nationwide protests on Friday, with demands growing for the education minister to step down. PM Modi posted a video on his X account late Thursday, saying the paper leak was “not a trivial matter” and “extremely painful” for hundreds of thousands of students and their parents.
The BriefWire