Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike enters 20th day; civil society demands NEET probe

Support for education reform activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi, continues to grow as civil society groups and educational organisations hold demonstrations across the country. On Friday, the All India Save Education Committee (AISEC) and several other groups staged protests in the city, expressing solidarity with Wangchuk and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET-2026 examination.

At a gathering near the Gandhi statue, AISEC leaders urged the central government to respond to Wangchuk's demands and hold those responsible for the reported paper leak accountable. AISEC State adviser N. Chandrasekhar alleged that the leak had caused widespread distress among students and parents nationwide, and criticised the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA). He appealed to the Union government to initiate dialogue with Wangchuk and ensure his health is not endangered.

AISEC State vice-president S. Govinda Raju attributed repeated controversies surrounding national entrance examinations to what he described as the commercialisation and centralisation of the education system. He called for the dissolution of the NTA and for the Union Education Minister to accept moral responsibility by stepping down.

Jana Vignana Vedika representative Sevika, speaking at the event, noted that Wangchuk's fast had entered its 20th day and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene personally.

In a separate demonstration, representatives from civil society organisations including Andhra Pradesh Mahila Samakhya State president Attili Vimala and Andhra Pradesh Matsya Karmika Sangham State president Neyyila Naga Bhushana Rao expressed concern over Wangchuk's deteriorating health. They called on the central government to hold talks immediately, address his demands, and ensure accountability for repeated examination paper leaks.

Wangchuk, an educationist and environmentalist from Ladakh, began his indefinite fast to press for reforms in the education system and to demand a transparent investigation into the alleged NEET-2026 paper leak. The protest has drawn attention to broader concerns about the centralisation of examination systems and the need for greater accountability in the National Testing Agency.