Kolkata Students Join Nationwide Protests, Demand Education Minister's Resignation Over NEET Leak

Students from Kolkata, primarily from universities in and around the city, held protests on Thursday (July 23, 2026) in solidarity with demonstrators at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG paper leak.

A group from Aliah University marched from their Park Circus campus, condemning the police action against students during recent demonstrations in Delhi on Monday (July 20, 2026).

“We are standing with the protesting students in Delhi. The police crackdown on protesters is unacceptable. We demand a change in the education system and the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, who has failed in his duties,” a student participant said.

Various student wings, including the All India Students Association (AISA) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), organised rallies in several localities. They demanded Mr. Pradhan’s resignation, justice for students who faced police action, and the immediate scrapping of the National Testing Agency.

The protests follow a continuing student agitation in Delhi over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. The immediate trigger was the police action against protesters at Jantar Mantar, including educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on an indefinite hunger strike. On Saturday, Delhi Police removed Mr. Wangchuk from the site and shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital.

The movement is led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which emerged from a disparaging remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant about unemployed youth. The protests gained momentum after a march to Parliament on Monday during the monsoon session.

Opposition parties and students have criticised the government’s handling of the situation. At Jadavpur University in Kolkata, SFI held a protest on Wednesday, displaying photos of freedom fighters and reading the Constitution in five languages: Bengali, English, Hindi, Nepali, and Santali.

Earlier, on Tuesday, students at Presidency University and Calcutta Medical College held a symbolic 12-hour hunger strike in solidarity with Mr. Wangchuk and Delhi protesters.

The CJP plans a mega rally in Kolkata on Friday, from College Square to Rani Rashmani Road, for which they have sought police permission. Left-affiliated student wings have announced another rally on Friday, from Sealdah to Dharmatala at 2:30 p.m.

Reacting to the protests, BJP leaders in West Bengal held a press conference, stating the demonstrations were supported by miscreants and were part of a conspiracy by opposition leaders. “What do these INDIA alliance leaders want? There have been more paper leaks during their rule in states. They seek to create disturbances. Some jailed leaders, miscreants, and anti-nationals are supporting these protests. This is not the time for low politics. Our Prime Minister has prioritised student welfare, and necessary actions are being taken. No disturbances will be tolerated,” said Industry Minister Tapas Roy.