Protests erupt in Hyderabad over NEET-UG cancellation

Members of the Students Islamic Organisation of India protest the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, in Hyderabad on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL Slamming the National Testing Agency over the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination following an alleged question paper leak, members of Bharat Rashtra Samithi Vidhyarthi and Youth Congress staged protests in Hyderabad. At Lok Bhavan, activists of the BRSV led by State president Gellu Srinivas Yadav staged a dharna, alleging that the leak reflected the “failure of the Central government and the NTA”. Both organisations demanded immediate rescheduling of the exam and strict measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Addressing the gathering, Srinivas Yadav said the leak had jeopardised the future of nearly 22 lakh students across the country. He alleged that repeated lapses, including similar incidents in 2021 and 2024, showed that lessons had not been learnt. He questioned the Centre’s decision not to implement the recommendations of the K. Radhakrishnan Committee, which was constituted after the 2024 leak and had reportedly suggested conducting NEET online. He also demanded the resignation of NTA Director General Abhishek Singh and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and called for stringent action against those responsible. Meanwhile, the Telangana Youth Congress organised a separate protest at the Ambedkar statue in Himayat Nagar, where effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister Pradhan were burnt. Addressing the protest, State Youth Congress president Jakkidi Shiva Charan Reddy alleged that repeated paper leaks exposed the Centre’s ‘failure to safeguard students’ future’. He claimed that several examination leaks and re-examinations had occurred in recent years, and said the cancellation had caused distress to students who had prepared for years. Published - May 13, 2026 08:29 pm IST