Members of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the students wing of the Opposition Congress, on Thursday held a protest outside Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s residence in Delhi over NEET and UGC-NET issues.

The protestors raised slogans against the minister and demanded justice for the students who appeared for the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams.

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Standing over a car outside Mr Pradhan’s residence, one of the protesters said that the minister should “return the money taken from coaching institutes” and give justice to the students.

While tossing the money in the air, they said, “Take the money we have collected, return the money to the coaching institutes, but give justice to the students.”

The protesting NSUI workers were detained by the Delhi Police.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had also held nationwide protests against the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the matter.

Just days after swearing-in, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre is under fire over the issue of alleged NEET-UG 2024 paper leak after several aspirants moved the Supreme Court.

While the issue is in the top court, the Centre had to cancel UGC-NET examination 2024, a day after around nine lakh students appeared for it.

The UGC-NET exam was cancelled on Wednesday after inputs from the Union Home Ministry indicated the integrity of the examination may have been compromised.

Reacting to the issue, Congress leader and Karnataka Minister MB Patil suggested that the Centre must leave it to the states to conduct the NEET exam.

“The best thing now is to leave it to the states to conduct their exams or the NEET has to be made foolproof…,” Patil said.

Patil’s colleague in the Karnataka Cabinet, Priyank Kharge also raised concerns over the future of 25 lakh NET aspirants who appeared for the exam.

Kharge said that when Congress included the issue of paper leaks in its election manifesto, the BJP mocked it saying it was not an issue.

“The BJP was mocking us and said it was not an issue. More than 25 lakh people have given NEET and they don’t know what to do about it because there has been a paper leak,” he said.

He further said, “The government is admitting that there has been misappropriation in the NET. Four people have been arrested in Bihar… Lakhs of students are on the streets. The PM has a huge interest in doing ‘Pariksha pe Charcha’. This time let there be a discussion. Why has he gone silent…?”