New Delhi: The Left-backed Student’s Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF) have announced a nationwide educational strike on Thursday against alleged irregularities in several competitive exams held by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The student groups are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him responsible for the irregularities in the recent NEET and UGC NET examinations.

Meanwhile, various student outfits of the INDIA bloc parties on Wednesday staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Along with SFI and AISF, the All India Students Association (AISA) Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and the Congress' students wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI) have also joined the protest. Scrapping of the NTA, the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, and the decentralisation of entrance tests are part of their demands.

In the line of fire over the alleged irregularities in the NEET and the PhD entrance NET, the Centre removed NTA Director General Subodh Singh last week and notified a high-level panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief R Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the NTA.

While the NEET is under the scanner over several irregularities, including alleged paper leaks, the UGC-NET was cancelled as the education ministry received inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised. Both matters are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Two other exams -- CSIR-UGC NET and NEET-PG -- were cancelled as a preemptive step.
(With PTI inputs)

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