Protests erupt after key college entrance test cancelled in India

Dozens of members of the student wings of Indian opposition parties protested in New Delhi on Tuesday against the cancellation of a key undergraduate college entrance test after authorities discovered its questions had been leaked.

About 2.3 million students across India took the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on May 3 for admission to undergraduate medical programmes.

The federal National Testing Agency scrapped the test on Tuesday, saying the process could not be allowed to stand and a new date would be set.

Visuals from news agency ANI showed dozens of protesters from the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) chanting slogans, with some also trying to jump police barricades.

NSUI President Vinod Jakhar demanded "strictest possible action" against those involved in leaking the questions, and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, saying protesters had no faith in the government.

NEET questions had been similarly leaked in some parts of India in 2024, but the test was not re-run.

#WATCH | Delhi: NSUI (National Students' Union of India) workers protest outside the office of NTA (National Testing Agency).

NEET-UG 2026 exam has been cancelled due to allegations of paper leak. pic.twitter.com/ilWYkVDE9O

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026

#WATCH | Delhi | Students' Federation of India (SFI) members protest against the National Testing Agency (NTA) after the NEET-UG 2026 examination was cancelled amid allegations of paper leak and examination irregularities

An SFI member Aishe Ghosh says, "We are protesting… pic.twitter.com/RJ9MOgoQBh

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026