Chandigarh: Hundreds of students, teachers, parents and general public gathered at Sector 17 Plaza on Wednesday in solidarity with the nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak issue. Organised by student organisations and political groups, the protest went beyond the immediate demand for a ministerial accountability, evolving into a larger critique of India’s examination system, the role of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the coaching industry, privatisation of education and growing centralisation of educational governance.Placards demanding justice for NEET aspirants stood alongside slogans condemning alleged police action against protesting students in Delhi. Speakers repeatedly argued that the current crisis is merely a symptom of deeper structural failures that have been building for years.‘NEET is only the trigger’Retired Panjab University professor Manjit Singh said the ongoing outrage should not be viewed as an isolated response to an examination leak.“The real problem is the examination system itself,” he said, arguing that it continues to reward rote learning rather than critical thinking. According to him, the intense competition has created fertile ground for the coaching industry, where institutes compete aggressively for rankings and publicity, making examination leaks commercially profitable.Instead of repeatedly conducting high-stakes examinations, Singh suggested reforms such as open-book examinations and evaluation methods that test understanding rather than memorisation.He also questioned the increasing centralisation of education.“India is far too large and diverse for a single central agency to efficiently conduct examinations for millions of students,” he said, adding that repeated administrative lapses have steadily eroded public trust.Calling the protests an expression of accumulated frustration, Singh said the alleged paper leak only acted as a catalyst for anger that had been building due to recurring examination irregularities and inadequate educational infrastructure.Referring to demands for the Union education minister’s resignation, he remarked that while such a step would acknowledge public accountability, the larger issue remains systemic reform.Calls to scrap NTA and rethink education policySeveral student organisations echoed similar concerns.Sandeep, representing Students for Society (SFS), demanded that the National Testing Agency be scrapped, alleging repeated failures in conducting national-level examinations. He argued that excessive centralisation, growing private control and ideological interference have weakened public education.He called for education to be treated as a state subject and demanded a review of the National Education Policy (NEP).“The issue is not merely about one examination. The system itself has become exclusionary,” he said.He also questioned the affordability of medical education, pointing out that students unable to secure govt seats often face private college fees running into nearly Rs 1 crore, making professional education inaccessible for most middle-class families.Gagan, representing Punjabnama, argued that education has increasingly become a privilege for the wealthy.“What happened this time is that even students from relatively privileged backgrounds were affected,” he said. “For years, students from poorer families have struggled because of expensive education and limited opportunities. This controversy has drawn wider attention because the crisis reached everyone.”He also condemned the police action against students protesting in Delhi, saying peaceful demonstrators should not be treated like criminals.Solidarity across generationsThe protest witnessed participation across age groups.Among those distributing water to protesters were Avinash Singh (65), a retired Indian Air Force officer, and his wife Navneet Kaur (63), both alumni of Panjab University.The couple said their own children had settled abroad partly because they had lost faith in India’s education system.“Middle-class parents spend enormous amounts on coaching and education, yet uncertainty remains because of repeated paper leaks, examination cancellations and delays,” Avinash Singh said.The gathering also saw elderly citizens arriving with walking sticks and walkers, choosing to stand alongside students despite their age.Anger over police actionRepresentatives from political organisations also condemned the police response to student protests in Delhi.Divyansh Thakur of the Youth Congress alleged that the use of force against students reflected administrative insensitivity rather than strength. He criticised the reported use of tear gas and force against peaceful protesters and reiterated the demand for the Education Minister’s resignation.Medical graduate Simran, who attended the protest in solidarity with NEET aspirants, described the police action as deeply disturbing.Stories from the ground
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The demonstration was marked by individual stories that reflected the wider public sentiment.A Class 5 student from Hallomajra attended with his parents, who sell roasted corn for a living. Carrying a placard demanding accountability, the child said he dreams of joining the Indian Army and wanted to support students fighting for a fair education system.A shopkeeper in Sector 17 expressed support by offering refreshments to protesters. She remarked that political leaders should themselves experience the uncertainty of competing for limited educational opportunities.A protester wearing a Spiderman mask said his Instagram account had been disabled after he posted content supporting the Delhi demonstrations.Among the crowd was also the son of a tea seller who had graduated from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), joining the protest in support of fellow students.Interestingly, while Chandigarh Police maintained a visible presence throughout the demonstration, protesters noted that officers largely remained cooperative, drawing comparisons with the police response witnessed during protests in Delhi.
