SFI activists stage protests against 'irregularities' in NEET, UGC-NET exams

Activists from the CPI(M) student wing, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), staged demonstrations outside Jadavpur University and Presidency University in Kolkata on Thursday. The protests were part of a day-long students’ strike to highlight alleged irregularities in the NEET and UGC NET exams organized by the National Testing Agency.

Tyres were burnt in front of Jadavpur University’s southern gate, while students staged a sit-in near the main gate of Presidency University. Their demands included the arrest of those involved in the alleged exam irregularities and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The SFI’s strike disrupted classes at several universities where the union is strong. According to Abhinaba Basu, a member of SFI’s Jadavpur University unit, the protest received substantial support from students, and no attempt was made to bar anyone from entering the campuses. The protests are expected to continue with a series of rallies across West Bengal.