Many students said months of preparation and intense academic pressure had gone to waste due to the controversy. Protesters accused the NTA of failing to conduct the examination securely and demanded accountability from officials involved in organising the test.
The NTA recently cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination after reports emerged that several questions matched leaked “guess papers” circulating before the exam. The decision affected more than 24 lakh students across India and triggered protests in multiple cities.
Students and parents expressed concern over uncertainty surrounding the revised examination schedule, saying repeated exam irregularities were causing severe mental stress among aspirants preparing for competitive medical entrance tests.
Several student organisations also demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the paper leak case and called for major reforms in the examination system to prevent future irregularities.