JSA statement on 20th July March to Parliament demanding resignation of the Union EducationMinister and accountability in NEET and other examinations
Historic mobilization by young people! Brutal police action! Support the continuedmovement! 20th July 2026 will be remembered in India, especially by all those engaged in the struggle for a fair and humane education system — a system where no student dies by suicide because the state failed to conduct exams without paper leaks, nor does a nine-year-old jump to her death because of bullying in the classroom. On this day, we witnessed a historic rally of students and youth from not only Delhi NCR, but from all over the country. Family members of some NEET aspirants who had taken their lives also joined. Their clear demand: the resignation of the Union Education Minister over the dysfunctional, commercialized, and corrupt education system, and a change in this entire regime that has failed to provide good, affordable education and employment to the youth of this country over the past decade. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and several student organizations of India, including AISA, SFI, AISF, had given a Call for a March to Parliament on 20th July, the day its monsoon session was to begin. This call came after over a month of sit-in protest since 6th June at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, which included a 22-day indefinite hunger strike by social activist Sonam Wangchuk and more than six university students. Rallies and sit-ins also took place across many other cities, drawing large numbers of youth. JSA salutes the tenacity and courage of all those who were on hunger strike for over 20 days; and also, that of the people during the march, particularly their non-violent posture and bravery in the face of the dastardly police violence unleashed to silence them. It is heartening to see that within a day these protestors are back on their feet at the very same Jantar Mantar from where they were thrown out. JSA has expressed its solidarity with the ongoing movement and has released a statement detailing the serious distortions in medical education and the NEET process, and urgent steps required to reform this system to make it responsive and equitable. Some of the issues raised at this protest overlapped with the concerns that have been raised by JSA for a long time, such as the privatization of medical education, the conduct of entrance examinations, and harassment of health workers and MBBS students. Several JSA members and constituent organizations of JSA participated in the 20th July March to Parliament. Unfortunately, at the protest venue we were unable to group together as a team, since the government had deployed signal jammers to disrupt internet access and phone calls, preventing communication over about a 2-km radius. The extremely large congregation and the many barricades placed all around the protest site also created major barriers to movement. Reaching the protest avenue was also disrupted by the closure of all the nearest metro stations. Despite such repressive measures, tens of thousands of young people kept pouring in, carrying placards with creative slogans, conveying their constitutional rights to protest and to better education, and highlighting the failures of the present government. Large-scale mobilization, both done by organizations and catalyzed through social media, culminated in a set of massive marches towards Parliament. However, in the afternoon, the police took to brutally attacking these peaceful marchers at multiple locations, including the Jantar Mantar site. This violence by the police continued until late evening. Many people were lathi-charged, including those who had fallen while being chased by the police. Many tear gas shells were also fired. Our sources have confirmed that a significant number of protesters were admitted to emergency wards, with some in the ICU. In Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital alone, at least 65 persons were treated for serious injuries, 15 were admitted, and a few remain critical. Another very disturbing fact is that the police also beat up several doctors and healthcare workers who were attending to injured protestors. This is a brazen violation of the Geneva Conventions that protect healthcare workers, as well as those who are sick and wounded. By attacking healthcare workers, the police also denied the injured their right to emergency care. Yet another grave concern is that many of the activists facing this police brutality mentioned that several persons beating them up were not in uniform and had no official police badges. Yet, unarmed young people expressing their constitutional rights were ruthlessly attacked with impunity by these plainclothes men, who must have been provided protection from the highest levels. There are also reports of injuries by pellet guns, and electrification of barricades which led to people suffering electric shocks. We are deeply concerned that, for several months, the government has refused to engage in any communication with the youth about their rightful demands. Instead of abiding by democratic norms of dialogue and taking responsibility for its failures, the government has only resorted to completely undemocratic behavior, by first compelling Sonam Wangchuk and many others to sit on hunger strike, and now escalating its repressive response by resorting to such brutal attacks on the youth, on the streets of the capital city of our country. JSA condemns in the strongest possible terms this police brutality on thousands of peaceful and defenseless students and young people, as well as many healthcare workers. We demand urgent action against those who were involved in this barbaric attack, as well as responsibility from all the concerned superiors in commanding positions, along with accountability in NEET and other examinations. At this historic juncture, we call upon all health activists and democratic organizations to join hands with the emerging youth and social movements. We need to rise together against the oppressive systems and policies which the young people of India are challenging, and work for alternative governance which the people of this country need and deserve.
