NEET 2026 Paper Leak: Congress Staged Torch Rally In Rewa, NSUI To Protest At Deputy CM Residence

Demanding NTA’s dissolution and the Education Minister’s resignation, NSUI announces "NEET 2026 Nyay Abhiyan" with plans to picket the Deputy CM's house on May 19.

Anger over the alleged NEET 2026 paper leak intensified in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district as Congress and its student wing, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), took to the streets. Following a massive torch rally organized by senior Congress workers over the weekend, the NSUI has now announced plans to gherao the local Deputy Chief Minister's residence on May 19.

The student body stated that the protest is aimed at breaking the "absolute silence" of elected public representatives regarding the ongoing national examination crisis.

NSUI Launches Nyay Abhiyan

Addressing a press conference in Rewa on Sunday afternoon, NSUI District President Pankaj Upadhyay officially launched the "NEET 2026 Nyay Abhiyan." Upadhyay told reporters that local student volunteers and aggrieved aspirants would march to the Deputy CM’s residence on Tuesday.

In a distinct style of agitation, protestors plan to ring bells and blow conch shells (shankhnaad) outside the gates to symbolically wake up the administration. "Our leaders are staying quiet while the future of lakhs of medical aspirants hangs in the balance," Upadhyay said during the briefing.

Key Demands Placed Before Center

The student organization has outlined a specific list of demands under its new campaign. Chief among them is the immediate dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the pan-India medical entrance exam.

Furthermore, the body has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing systemic failure. Local student leaders argued that accountability must start from the top if public faith in national competitive exams is to be restored.

Calls For Supreme Court Monitor

The NSUI leadership emphasized that standard internal inquiries would no longer suffice, given the scale of the irregularities. They have called for a comprehensive, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe directly monitored by the Supreme Court.

Focus On Student Welfare

Beyond structural reforms, the ongoing protests have highlighted the immense psychological toll on aspirants. Local Congress representatives pointed out that the uncertainty around the exam results is causing severe anxiety among students who spent years preparing in coaching hubs.

The NSUI has demanded that the government immediately provide free mental health counseling and legal aid to all affected students. Additionally, they insisted that if a re-examination is ordered, the state must ensure free travel and lodging logistics for every candidate.

Systemic Failures Under Fire

During the press meet, senior student leaders drew parallels to past examination scams, noting that recurring irregularities have severely damaged the credibility of India’s medical entrance ecosystem. They pointed out that from the AIPMT issues in 2015 to the controversies in 2024, and now the NEET 2026 paper leak, the system has shown a pattern of vulnerability.

The organization demanded a thorough investigation into the roles played by major coaching networks operating out of hubs like Kota, Sikar, and Jaipur. They argued that merely ordering re-tests acts as a temporary bandage rather than a permanent solution to organized paper-leak syndicates.

Torch Rally Lights Up Rewa

The NSUI’s protest announcement follows a high-decibel torch rally (mashaal juloos) taken out by Congress workers through the main streets of Rewa late Saturday evening. Holding flaming torches and raising anti-government slogans, protesters marched across major intersections, drawing significant local crowds.

Local police authorities maintained a tight vigil during the evening rally, though no untoward incidents were reported. The Congress leadership stated that these demonstrations will continue to scale up across the state until concrete legal action is initiated against the perpetrators of the leak.