Civil Society Activists Call For Judicial Inquiry Into NEET Paper Leak And Punishment To Police Personnel Involved In High-Handed Action Against Protesters

Mumbai: Civil society activists, legal experts and youth representatives have demanded judicial inquiry into the NEET examination paper leak following the nationwide protests. The collective demanded immediate and systemic accountability from the government, law enforcement agencies, media and the judiciary.

Press Conference Held At Mumbai Press Club

In the backdrop of nationwide student unrest, United Against Injustice and Discrimination as well as the Bombay Catholic Sabha held a press conference on Tuesday at the Mumbai Press Club to condemn the heavy-handed state response to peaceful student demonstrations in Delhi, Mumbai, and across several states. The panel included Hum Bharat Ke Log's founder Tushar Gandhi, Adv Lara Jesani, Bombay Catholic Sabha's Dolphy Dsouza, All India Students Federation's Aamir Kazi, Students Islamic Organisation's Owais Siddique, among others.

The speakers highlighted the excessive use of force at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, alleging that peaceful assemblies were met with lathi-charges, physical assaults, arbitrary detentions and institutional intimidation. The activists raised concerns over Maharashtra government's inaction on officially withdrawing all the FIRs registered against protesters.

Demand For Official Withdrawal Of FIRs

The speakers highlighted that while state governments in Bihar and Assam issued official directives following Cockroach Janata Party's agreements reached with the Central government, civil society leaders alleged that Mumbai Police have continued to issue legal notices, summon student activists to police stations and record statements over the past two days. While the state has reportedly asked the Mumbai police commissionerate to drop all charges, the activists have demanded the state to issue official notification.

​Speakers also condemned reports of retaliatory tactics, including the targeting of social media accounts by Delhi Police and threats regarding the cancellation of protesters' passports.

Panel Condemns Alleged Retaliatory Measures

​"Criminalising young citizens who are merely raising their voices to protect their academic futures is an alarming misuse of power," the joint statement noted, calling for the immediate release of all detained individuals without victimisation.

The activists stated that a single resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradha remains a symbolic gesture rather than a structural solution and that the administrative failures should be addressed. ​To restore integrity to the national examination framework, the panel demanded an independent judicial inquiry into paper leak syndicates and institutional corruption.

Moreover, the gathering also highlighted the need to revisit the foundational premise of the NEET examination structure, introduce transparent oversight mechanisms and impose strict statutory penalties on corrupt examination contractors. Simultaneously, it demanded that the police personnel responsible for violence against peaceful demonstrators should be booked and financial compensation should be provided to families of students who died by suicide during the crisis.

​The panel also appealed to news organisations to adhere to journalistic ethics and prioritise truth-based reporting. Moreover, the representatives appealed directly to the judiciary to exercise its constitutional mandate. The panel urged courts to take proactive, suo-motu cognizance of police excesses and state-led intimidation to safeguard fundamental rights, enforce accountability and protect citizens' constitutional right to peaceful assembly.