ABVP Protests in Hyderabad Over Unemployment and Exam Irregularities

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a demonstration outside the Telangana Public Service Commission (TPSC) office in Hyderabad, Telangana, on Tuesday. They protested against the state government’s alleged negligence on unemployment issues.

Earlier, on June 21, ABVP protested at Osmania University in Hyderabad against the National Testing Agency (NTA) over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam and the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam. During this protest, students burnt an effigy of the NTA.

Student organizations from INDIA bloc parties, including NSUI, AISF, and AISA, announced nationwide demonstrations on July 3 against the alleged corrupt practices of the NTA. NSUI President Varun Chaudhary called for a ban on NTA, the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and a re-conduct of the NEET exam.

The central government has postponed several exams, including NEET PG, due to these irregularities. A high-level committee, led by former ISRO chairman Dr. K Radhakrishnan, has been formed to investigate the NTA’s conduct. The CBI is also investigating a NEET-UG paper leak, having registered a criminal case on June 23.

Viraaj Devang, General Secretary of AISF, emphasized the need to remove NEET-like exams and address the broader issues within the education system. He urged the government not to jeopardize students’ futures.

The NEET UG exam, held on May 5, 2024, saw 23 lakh candidates across 571 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. The results, declared on June 4, led to protests due to multiple issues, including 67 candidates achieving perfect scores. The Supreme Court ruled to scrap the grace marks awarded to some students, offering them a re-test or to retain their original scores without the grace marks.