AISA Leader Danish Ali Hospitalised as Jantar Mantar Hunger Strike Over NEET Paper Leaks Enters 7th Day
New Delhi: A week-long hunger strike at Jantar Mantar by AISA leaders over alleged paper leaks in NEET and other national exams took a serious turn on Wednesday, with JNU Students’ Union Joint Secretary and AISA leader Comrade Danish Ali being hospitalised after her health deteriorated. Danish Ali and five other AISA activists have been on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar since last week under the leadership of AISA National President Neha. The group is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him accountable for repeated paper leaks in NEET and other competitive exams. According to AISA, the protest, supported by the “Kakroach Janta Party”, has received backing from students and youth organisations in several states, and medical teams at the site admitted Danish Ali to hospital on the seventh day of the fast after her condition worsened.
The central issue raised by the protesters is the recurrence of paper leaks and exam irregularities in high-stakes tests like NEET, which they say have disrupted admissions, forced re-examinations, caused financial strain on families, and led to distress among aspirants. AISA is demanding the Education Minister’s resignation on grounds of “moral responsibility”, a time-bound judicial or independent inquiry into recent leaks, stronger implementation of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and clarity and relief for affected candidates. The Ministry of Education has previously stated that investigations into leak cases are being conducted by agencies including the CBI, and that strict action will be taken against those found guilty, while maintaining that exam integrity remains a priority. The Minister has not resigned in response to the current agitation.
The protest is being led by AISA, the student wing linked to CPI(ML) Liberation, and the slogans raised at Jantar Mantar directly target the central government. As of now, there is no official confirmation that climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk is participating in this specific hunger strike. Wangchuk has separately been in the news for his own hunger strikes and marches in Delhi and Ladakh on issues related to Ladakh’s statehood, Sixth Schedule status, and environmental concerns. While student movements sometimes intersect on questions of governance and accountability, AISA has presented the current Jantar Mantar action as its own campaign focused on paper leaks and the Education Minister’s resignation.
Beyond the immediate protest, the issue touches on broader concerns about trust in public examinations, the effectiveness of anti-cheating laws, and the impact on lakhs of medical aspirants across India. The hunger strike remains ongoing at Jantar Mantar, with AISA stating it will continue until the government responds to its demands. All individuals and institutions named are presumed innocent of any criminal allegation unless proven otherwise by a competent court.
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