GSU stages NEET protest in Williamnagar, demands education reforms

Williamnagar, July 24: Hundreds of students, teachers and parents gathered in Williamnagar on Friday as the Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Eastern Zone, staged a solidarity protest over the alleged NEET paper leak, demanding greater transparency in national examinations and sweeping reforms in Meghalaya’s education sector.

Held under the theme “Students United for a Better Future,” the demonstration at the parking lot in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office was organised in support of students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination.

Protesters expressed concern over what they described as the erosion of trust in the country’s examination system and called on the Centre to ensure fair, transparent and merit-based competitive examinations.

Addressing the gathering, GSU Eastern Zone president Goera R. Sangma, A’chik NEHU Students’ Union president Jakrik D. Marak, Loyola College student Kavitha Devi, and Gamchi Timre R. Marak, principal of Educere Higher Secondary School, said students deserved an examination system free from irregularities and urged authorities to safeguard the future of aspiring candidates.

The demonstration concluded with participants raising slogans demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET controversy.

Following the protest, the GSU submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma through the Deputy Commissioner of East Garo Hills, urging the state government to undertake comprehensive education reforms.

Among its key demands were improved school infrastructure, better road connectivity to educational institutions, recruitment of more teachers, decentralisation of higher education opportunities across districts, strengthened teacher training, reduced non-academic workload for teachers, expansion of digital education, establishment of district-level coaching centres for competitive examinations, and enhanced career guidance and skill development programmes.

The union said strengthening the education system is essential to ensuring that students from rural Meghalaya have equal opportunities to compete at the national level.

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