HYDERABAD: The protest at Jantar Mantar has provided fresh impetus to student movements across the country and helped reduce the fear among university and college students, said All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora.
Speaking at the 15th annual Hasan Memorial Lecture 2026 in Hyderabad on Sunday, Bora said that the protest had encouraged students to raise their voices on issues ranging from university administration and coaching centres to policies of the Centre.
She is currently travelling across the country as part of the “Gen-Z Rising: India Tour (Phase 1)” with an aim to build solidarity among students’ and people’s movements. Bora said that the Jantar Mantar protest had demonstrated that collective action could give students greater confidence to question authorities.
On education reforms, Bora demanded decentralisation of major entrance examinations, including NEET and JEE. She argued that centralised examinations put students from state boards and government schools at a disadvantage.
Calling for examinations to be conducted by accountable public institutions through a transparent and decentralised system, the AISA president criticised the National Testing Agency (NTA), citing allegations of paper leaks, mismanagement and technical glitches.