Joint Rally in Basavakalyan Demands NEET Reforms, Police Accountability, and University Protection
Basavakalyan, Karnataka – The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO), Basavakalyan unit, and the Solidarity Youth Movement (SYM) jointly organised a protest rally and public meeting here on Thursday, voicing concerns over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, police action against protesting students in New Delhi, and a demolition order against Mohammad Ali Jauhar University.
The rally began at Gandhi Chowk and concluded with a public meeting at Ambedkar Chowk. Participants submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India to local authorities, urging reforms in the national examination system and protection of students' rights.
Speaking at the meeting, Zabiullah Khan, president of SYM, alleged that students protesting in Delhi faced excessive police force and called for an independent inquiry into the NEET irregularities. He demanded the scrapping of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and decentralisation of entrance examinations to ensure transparency and accountability. He also sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him morally responsible for the alleged irregularities.
Mujtahid Omer, president of SIO, said education is a fundamental right and urged authorities to ensure a transparent and fair admission process accessible to all students. He reiterated the demand to abolish the NTA and decentralise national entrance examinations.
Asad Ullah Khan, State secretary of SYM, urged the Union government to address student concerns, safeguard the constitutional right to education, and withdraw the demolition order against Mohammad Ali Jauhar University.
Earlier, Riyaz Patel of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights criticised recurring examination irregularities and alleged paper leaks, saying they had eroded student confidence in the education system.
Other speakers included Advocate Rajshree, Zoha of the Girls Islamic Organisation, Sandeep Mukhunde of the Karnataka Vidyarthi Sangha, and Zulfeqar Chabukswar of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. They called for transparency in examinations, equal access to education, and protection of students' rights.
The memorandum demanded scrapping and decentralisation of the NTA, an independent inquiry into NEET irregularities, a fair and transparent examination system, withdrawal of the demolition order against Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, and measures to safeguard students' constitutional right to education.
Students and representatives from various organisations, including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and Karnataka Vidyarthi Sangha, participated in the rally, raising slogans in support of education reforms and justice for students.
