NEET-UG row: NSUI members barge into NTA office, lock door

New Delhi: The Congress’s student and youth wings took to the streets in the national capital on Thursday over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams, with NSUI members forcefully entering the NTA headquarters and locking its office, and the IYC staging a huge protest at Jantar Mantar.

The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has threatened to lock NTA offices across the country if their demand to ban the NTA is not met. Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse protesters at Jantar Mantar where the Indian Youth Congress, Left-affiliated All India Students Association (AISA) and Delhi University’s Krantikari Yuva Sangathan continued their indefinite sit-in for the second day on the issue.

At the National Testing Agency (NTA) headquarters at Okhla, Delhi Police has deployed a team of security personnel to prevent recurrence of any such protest.

NSUI members stormed into the testing agency’s headquarters during the protest led by its national president Varun Choudhary. The students’ body staged a sit-in inside the NTA office for nearly an hour and left by the time senior police officers arrived. Visuals showed NSUI members raising “shut down NTA” slogans and locking the NTA office with an iron lock and chain. “The NTA officials had locked the door from inside as students were protesting. Subsequently, the protesters also locked the door from outside with an iron chain and lock,” a police officer said. “No more Corrupt NTA. #NTA BAN,” read a message pasted on the iron lock and chain. The students’ outfit has threatened to lock NTA offices nationwide if their demand to scrap the testing agency is not met. There was no immediate response from the NTA.

Earlier in the day, the IYC staged a massive demonstration at Jantar Mantar over the NEET-UG exam and against the Agniveer Scheme. The Congress’ youth wing accused police of using batons against the protesters.

A large crowd of IYC workers, led by Srinivas BV, gathered at Jantar Mantar against the NTA. When they attempted to gherao Parliament, police set up barricades. Around 60 protestors were detained. A senior police officer denied allegations of lathicharge, stating that “mild force” was used when protesters tried to break the barricades.

Members of AISA and other student outfits also demanded the NTA be scrapped and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign. Police suggested a case might be registered against NSUI and IYC for creating ruckus.