India's Centre announced a major bureaucratic reshuffle, appointing Naresh Pal Gangwar as Secretary of Higher Education and T K Anil Kumar as Secretary of School Education, replacing Vineet Joshi. The changes occur amidst ongoing protests over alleged NEET exam irregularities.
Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has spoken out on nationwide NEET paper leak protests, urging society to uphold meritocracy and ensure students' hard work is rewarded. He reflected on his father's values, emphasizing that cheating is unacceptable. Other cricketers, including Shikhar Dhawan, Mohammad Kaif, and Irfan Pathan, also voiced support for students, with Kaif condemning police action against protestors in Delhi.
India's Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and Grandmaster Nihal Sarin advocate for a transparent, merit-based education system as protests over alleged NEET exam irregularities continue. Environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk is on an indefinite fast, and a student march to Parliament was dispersed by Delhi Police.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation closed 16 stations from 7:30 AM without stating a reason, though interchange facilities remain open at select points. This comes amidst ongoing youth-led protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi against the NEET paper leak, demanding the Union Education Minister's resignation.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused Rahul Gandhi and Congress of exploiting students for political gains amid NEET protests, stating the government is ready for parliamentary discussion on the issue and committed to reforms, while condemning the opposition's "political spectacle."
