Student outfits of some I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties protest at Jantar Mantar, plan march to Parliament

New Delhi: Student outfits of some I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties began their protest at Jantar Mantar against alleged irregularities in several competitive exams held by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Members of the Left-backed All India Students Association (AISA), Student Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Federation (AISF), along with Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and Congress' students wing NSUI have gathered at the protest site to take out the march.

The student groups aim to march to Parliament to press for their demands of scrapping the National Testing Agency, Resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and decentralisation of entrance tests.

In the line of fire over the alleged irregularities in the NEET and the PhD entrance NET, the Centre removed National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Singh last week and notified a high-level panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief R Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the NTA.

While the NEET is under the scanner over several irregularities, including alleged paper leaks, the UGC-NET was cancelled as the education ministry received inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised. Both matters are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Two other exams -- CSIR-UGC NET and NEET-PG -- were cancelled as a preemptive step.