Last Updated:
From demanding probe into NEET ‘irregularities’ to protest over infrastructure at IIIT Basara, here are some of the major student protests that took place this year
Here are some of the major student protests which took place this year (PTI file photo)
From an investigation into NEET ‘irregularities’ to protests at IIT-Guwahati over a student’s death, students have proved their ability to demand change. These protests not only brought to light structural faults inside educational institutions, but they also had far-reaching implications, ranging from the resignations of prominent officials to national debates on policy and practice. Below are some major student protests of 2024:
Students Demand Probe into NEET ‘Irregularities’
In June, members of student unions with ties to the Left demonstrated outside the education ministry, calling for an investigation into the purported anomalies in the NEET exam, according to a statement. According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), a four-person panel appointed by the education ministry would examine the grace marks given to over 1,500 test takers. The action was taken in response to claims that 67 applicants shared the top spot on the NEET-UG medical entrance exam due to mark inflation. NTA has refuted any anomalies, stating that part of the reasons why students received better scores were due to modifications made to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks and grace marks for tardiness at the testing locations.
UPPSC Protest: ‘One Day, One Shift’
On November 13, more than 30,000 candidates expressed their disappointment over changes to the PCS (Provincial Civil Services) and Review Officer (RO) exams, sparking a large-scale student demonstration outside the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) office in Prayagraj that was on its third day. Students voiced their extreme disapproval of the most recent changes to the format and scheduling of the exams, calling for the return of the old ‘one day, one shift’ approach.
A major focus of the UPPSC students’ protest is the new changes to the PCS and Review Officer (RO) tests. These exams were traditionally administered in a single shift on a single day. There is a lot of discontent among students, though, because the UPPSC has chosen to spread out the exams across two days. The candidates said that the single-shift exam that was previously administered was a much more equitable and easier procedure to handle.
Protest At Varanasi College Over Removal Of Mosque From Campus
After a large group of students conducted a demonstration demanding the removal of a mosque from the campus, tensions ran high at Uday Pratap College earlier this month. With saffron flags in hand and cries of “Jai Shri Ram,” hundreds of students gathered at the college gate on December 6. When they tried to enter the university, police stopped them.
According to student leader Vivekanand Singh, the mosque should be taken down from any property that does not belong to the Waqf board. He went on to say that students would recite the Hanuman Chalisa in response if namaz was still served in the mosque.
IIIT Basara Students Protests Over Infrastructure And Irregularities
In September, there was a spike in student protests at the IIIT (Indian Institutes of Information Technology) College in Basara, Telangana’s Nirmal district. According to Local18, the students were calling on the government to listen to them and address their problems, which they said had been unresolved for more than ten years. The demonstrations were taking place in support of improved sports facilities, infrastructure development, and mess-related issues.
The students were promised the improvements they wanted during the previous protests by the governmental leaders and politicians. Another outcry resulted from their failure to address the problems. They reportedly wanted the present vice chancellor to be fired right away and replaced with a new candidate. Students also insist that there be no additional openings in teaching or non-teaching positions.
BPSC Exam Row
On December 7, Bihar Police denied rumours on social media that Khan Sir, a YouTuber, and tutor from Patna, had been arrested. They said that Khan Sir had visited a police station voluntarily to show support for demonstrators who had been arrested for holding an unlawful demonstration close to the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) office. Meanwhile, Anu Kumari, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Sachiwalay-1, had warned that he would take action against the social media handle ‘Khan Global Studies’ for disseminating false information about his detention.
Patna Police confirmed that Khan Sir went to Gardani Bagh police station after meeting protesters in the area where they were holding a dharna on December 6 evening.
Protests At Delhi’s IP University After Student Jumps To Death
In September, a 25-year-old student who had been expelled by the university administration died by suicide, sparking protests at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. According to reports, first-year MBA student Gautam Kumar killed himself by jumping from the seventh story of his hostel building. He was a student at the main campus of IP University in Dwarka Sector-16, Southwest Delhi, and was originally from Vaishali, Bihar. He and five other students were expelled for reportedly using drugs and alcohol in their dorm room.
Rakesh Kumar, the dormitory warden, has been ‘relieved’ of his duties by the university administration amid the protests, IP University registrar Kamal Pathak informed PTI.
IIT-Guwahati Dean Resigns Amid Protests Over Student’s Death
In September, IIT-Guwahati’s academic dean, Professor Kanduru V. Krishna, resigned amid escalating tensions and protests following the tragic death of a 21-year-old B. Tech student. Originally from Uttar Pradesh, the deceased student was studying computer science and engineering when he was found hanging in his hostel room on September 9. Students were deeply offended by this incident and protested in large numbers, accusing the institution of creating a “toxic environment.” They claimed that the student’s death was caused in part by high academic pressure and called for Professor Krishna to be fired.
