Telangana Educational Institutions Largely Shut as Student Groups Protest Over NEET Controversy

Hyderabad, July 2026 : Educational institutions across Telangana witnessed widespread disruption on Friday as a majority of schools and colleges remained closed in response to a statewide bandh called by Left-affiliated student organisations. The protest was organised to express solidarity with students demonstrating in New Delhi over the alleged NEET paper leak and to demand greater accountability in the examination system.

Several private schools and colleges, particularly in Hyderabad and neighbouring districts, declared a holiday as a precautionary measure following the bandh call. While a handful of educational institutions continued to function, attendance remained thin in many places. Adding to the disruption, Osmania University announced the postponement of all examinations scheduled for Friday.

The bandh was called by a joint forum of student organisations, which condemned the alleged police action against students protesting in the national capital and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak and other examination-related irregularities.

The protest was supported by the Telangana units of several student bodies, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), All India Forum for Democratic Students (AIFDS), All India Students Bloc (AISB), and All India Progressive Students Union (AIPSU).

As part of the statewide agitation, student activists organised a rally from Narayanaguda to Y Junction in Hyderabad. Carrying placards and raising slogans, protesters demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged examination paper leak, reforms to ensure transparency in the examination process, and accountability from the Union government.

The demonstrators asserted that repeated allegations of irregularities in competitive examinations have created uncertainty among students and called for measures to restore confidence in the country’s education system. They also criticised the alleged use of force against students protesting in New Delhi, describing it as an attack on democratic rights.

Meanwhile, a separate protest was organised at Indira Park in Hyderabad by the student wing of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). Hundreds of students and young people gathered at the venue to express solidarity with the ongoing protests in the national capital and demand accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak.

BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao joined the demonstration, lending political support to the student movement. Earlier in the day, he shared a message on social media, stating that the voice of India’s youth could not be silenced through force.

Calling upon students, young citizens and supporters of democratic values to participate in the movement, Rama Rao urged people to stand in defence of the constitutional right to peaceful dissent. The protests in Telangana reflected the growing nationwide concern over examination integrity, with student organisations continuing to press for reforms aimed at ensuring fairness, transparency and accountability in the country’s competitive examination system.