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As protests over the NEET paper leak and examination irregularities entered another week, the parents of 19-year-old NEET aspirant Sana Shaik, who died by suicide in Hyderabad last month, joined demonstrators at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Friday, July 24, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and sweeping reforms in the examination system.
The nationwide agitation, led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) along with student organisations, was sparked over recurring malpractice in the NEET examination. The agitation has now expanded into a broader movement demanding greater accountability from the government. While the Union government has opened talks with CJP representatives following days of protests and confrontations with police, demonstrators have said the agitation will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan steps down as the Minister taking moral responsibility for his failure.
People from across the country have been travelling to Delhi to express solidarity with the protesters and voice their frustration with the government's handling of the NEET controversy. Among them are Sana Shaik's parents, Sheikh Jafar Hussain and Habib-un-Nisaa Sheikh. Sana died by suicide on June 20, a day before the NEET re-examination, which was conducted after the original exam was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak.
“Who will take responsibility for my child’s loss? We have elected politicians to protect citizens, not so that their decisions will lead to the death of people,” Habib-un-Nisaa told the media at the protest site. She added that she had come to extend her solidarity to all students who died by suicide.
Sana's father, Sheikh Jafar Hussain, said he felt a responsibility to stand with other families who had lost their children due to the failure of the examination system overseen by the National Testing Agency.
According to the police, Sana died by suicide at her residence under the Miyapur police station limits in Hyderabad. She had been preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and was staying with her two sisters while undergoing long-term coaching.
Police said Sana had appeared for NEET the previous year but was unsuccessful. After securing more than 90% in her Intermediate examinations, she enrolled in another year of coaching and was preparing for the re-examination scheduled for June 21.
Her death came just a day before the re-test. In the weeks surrounding the examination, several NEET aspirants across the country died by suicide, with student groups citing mounting academic pressure, uncertainty surrounding the examination process and repeated controversies over alleged paper leaks and irregularities.
