SFI and DYFI leaders staged a major protest in Vijayawada demanding the withdrawal of cases against students and the immediate abolition of NTA, NEET, and NEP 2020.

  • SFI and DYFI leaders protested at Dharna Chowk, Vijayawada.
  • Demands include scrapping the NTA, NEET, and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
  • Protesters called for the withdrawal of legal cases filed against student activists.
  • Allegations were made regarding the closure of 90,000 government schools due to NEP.

In a significant escalation of student unrest, leaders from the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) staged a massive demonstration at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada. The protest focused on two primary fronts: demanding the withdrawal of criminal cases registered against student activists and calling for a complete overhaul of the current examination and education framework.

SFI State Secretary Prasanna Kumar delivered a scathing critique of the National Testing Agency (NTA). He argued that the agency's repeated failures in conducting high-stakes examinations have inflicted severe psychological and academic distress upon millions of students across the country. Consequently, the SFI has demanded the immediate abolition of the NTA.

Systemic Failures in Education

The protest extended beyond the NTA, targeting the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. According to SFI leadership, the implementation of the NEP has led to catastrophic consequences for the public education sector, alleging that over 90,000 government schools have been shut down, leading to a surge in student dropout rates.

Agencies like the NTA should not be entrusted with conducting critical examinations given their track record of repeated failures.

The movement also received significant legal solidarity. Sunkara Rajendra Prasad, a member of the Andhra Pradesh Bar Council, voiced his support for the students, urging the government to cease the suppression of voices seeking educational reform. He emphasized that students should not be branded as 'anti-national' for exercising their right to protest and assured that the legal community would stand by the student movement.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the growing friction between student organizations and regulatory bodies like the NTA highlights a deepening crisis of trust in India's meritocratic systems. The intersection of legal action against protesters and systemic educational failures creates a volatile environment that could redefine student politics in the coming years.

Did You Know?: The NTA has faced intense scrutiny recently due to controversies surrounding exam leaks and administrative mismanagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What are the primary demands of the SFI protest?
Answer: The SFI is demanding the abolition of NTA, NEET, and NEP 2020, alongside the withdrawal of cases against student protesters.

Question 2: Who supported the student movement in Vijayawada?
Answer: Members of the Andhra Pradesh Bar Council expressed solidarity, stating they would support students against harassment.