Uttar Pradesh Witnesses Protests Over NEET Paper Leak and Exam Irregularities
Multiple demonstrations took place across Uttar Pradesh on Thursday (July 23, 2026) over the NEET paper leak case and other examination irregularities. Protestors clashed with police at several locations, including Lucknow and Prayagraj.
In Lucknow, activists from the Bhim Army staged a protest near Hazratganj and attempted to march towards the Governor's official residence. Police stopped them, leading to clashes. Several activists were detained. Vikas Gautam, a Bhim Army worker, said, 'We are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Police detained several students and party office bearers as the demonstration unfolded. The students of India and Uttar Pradesh are against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, which is anti-student to the core.'
In Prayagraj, students under the banner of Sanyukt Chhatra Manch organised a march that resulted in a minor clash with police. Besides the NEET paper leak and other exam irregularities, they demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government and the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission re-determine the PET-based cut-off for the lower recruitment main examination conducted by UPSSSC. They urged implementation of the 'minimum cut-off, maximum opportunity' principle to ensure fairness, which would allow around one lakh students to appear in the main examination.
Shyam Prasad, an aspirant from Prayagraj, said, 'Irregularities in examinations are taking place regularly in every competitive examination. A parallel network of frauds and paper leak mafias is being patronised by a section of powerful people. This parallel economy is over ₹50,000 crore, due to which meritorious students are being crushed. We demand a forensic investigation into various examinations where allegations of paper leaks have been made in Uttar Pradesh.'
Similar protests were held in Ghazipur, Varanasi, Ballia, and Azamgarh, where student groups demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a revamp of the examination process. Ravi Pandey, a first-year B.A. student from Ghazipur who participated, said, 'The question is much deeper. What job opportunities are being created in the market across sectors? It is the responsibility of the government to create jobs, but the present government has totally failed. Underemployment or disguised employment is the reality even for youth who have jobs. Paper leak is another crisis faced by youths.'
In Lucknow, the Congress party organised a detailed discussion on strengthening education and the rights of youth and students.
