Published Jul 24, 2026 | 2:57 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 24, 2026 | 3:02 PM
Students protest, demanding the scrapping of the NEET examination.
Synopsis: Student protests against NEET have intensified across Tamil Nadu, entering their fifth consecutive day as demonstrations spread through colleges and public spaces. As the agitation continues, protesters say their demand has shifted from reforming NEET to seeking its complete abolition.
Protests against the NEET examination and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have continued across India, with demonstrations intensifying in Tamil Nadu.
On Friday, 24 July, the agitation entered its fifth consecutive day, with student-led protests gaining momentum across the state.
Demonstrators, including supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party and several civil society organisations, continued their sit-in outside the Communist Party of India (CPI) office in Chennai.
Protest actions also included attempts to lay siege to the Raj Bhavan, demonstrations outside college campuses, and rallies in several parts of the state.
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On July 23, more than a hundred students and youth, led by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), staged a protest by attempting to lay siege to Lok Bhavan, the office of Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
At the same time, thousands of students continued their protest outside the CPI office for a fourth straight day. From morning until late at night, the protest site remained active with songs, street theatre, dances, slogans and speeches, creating an atmosphere of sustained resistance.
One noticeable development over the course of the agitation has been the changing perception among participants.
For instance, when South First spoke to Ayesha, one of the protesters, on the second day of the agitation, she called for free and fari conduct of the NEET examination.
However, when she was interviewed again on the third and fourth days of the protest, her position had changed significantly.
Speaking to South First, she said, “NEET itself can never be fair. NEET can’t be fair. It should be abolished completely.”
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Amid the continuing protests, director Pa. Ranjith’s Neelam Cultural Centre organised a public demonstration near Raja Rathinam Stadium in Chennai on July 23.
The protest was attended by several prominent personalities from the film industry, including directors Vetri Maaran and Ameer, actors Revathi, Andrea Jeremiah and Mansoor Ali Khan, music composer James Vasanthan, rapper Arivu and educationist Prince Gajendra Babu.
Speaking at the event, Vetri Maaran and other speakers urged people not to treat the protest as a symbolic one-day event. They called on the public and artists to remain actively involved with the students until their demands are addressed.
Beyond Chennai, student protests have spread across Tamil Nadu, with demonstrations reported at Madurai Law College, government colleges in Tiruvannamalai, colleges in Tiruvarur and several other districts. The protests have largely been organised by SFI and allied student organisations.
The students of Loyola College in Chennai had planned to join the statewide anti-NEET protests on July 24, but were prevented from holding a demonstration inside the campus.
Police personnel were deployed at the college entrance from the morning and checked students’ identity cards before allowing them inside.
Protesting the denial of permission to hold the demonstration, hundreds of students launched a sit-in inside the college premises.
The protest concluded after the college administration assured the students that a separate time and space would be provided for them to express their views.
Meanwhile, SFI alleged that the Tamil Nadu police under the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government had been entering college campuses, questioning students and detaining those involved in the protests.
SFI State President S. Mridula released a video alleging that police entered Madurai Kamaraj University and questioned SFI district president J. Dilan Justin and SFI state executive committee member C. David Rajadurai while they were attending classes. She alleged that the police were targeting students participating in the anti-NEET movement.
After facing repeated arrests over the past three days during protests held across Chennai, SFI has now shifted to a continuous demonstration near Raja Rathinam Stadium with police permission. Students continue to arrive at the protest venue in large numbers, indicating that the movement remains active and continues to gather support.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
