3 min readAhmedabadUpdated: May 14, 2026 07:27 PM ISTUnion Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attends the meeting of the Coordination Forum of Indian Institutes of Management, at IIM Ahmedabad. (PTI Photo)Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was shown black flags in Ahmedabad on Thursday by members of the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) during its protests over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).Pradhan was here to chair the Coordination Forum of Indian Institutes of Management held at IIM, Ahmedabad.The NEET (UG) 2026 exam for admissions in undergraduate medical courses held on May 3 was cancelled by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday amid allegations of paper leak. The CBI has arrested five persons so far. The cancellation of the entrance exam has left over 22 lakh medical aspirants in uncertainty.As soon as the Union Minister left the IIMA new campus around 2.40 pm, NSUI members raised slogans such as ‘Education Minister should resign’ and ‘Justice to students’ and waved black flags at him.As the protesters tried to stop Pradhan’s vehicle, the police as part of his convoy intervened and detained some of the NSUI members. Speaking to The Indian Express, NSUI Gujarat general secretary Vikarmsinh Gohil claimed that the Union Minister’s visit was kept a secret to avoid protests over the NEET paper leak.“We came to know about it. So we decided to protest with black flags in front of his convoy while he was leaving the IIMA campus. There was widespread corruption and irregularities in the recently conducted NEET exam. Strict action should be taken against those who are tampering with the future of the students,” Gohil said.The NSUI said in a statement, “This government and the Education Ministry which have wasted the hard work of lakhs of students are silent. Our protest will continue till the students get justice and the NEET exam is cancelled and re-conducted in a transparent manner.”Story continues below this adMeanwhile, Gujarat Congress demanded the resignation of Pradhan. “NSUI members gathered outside the campus after learning about the minister’s presence there and waved black flags when his car was leaving the institute premises. We demand that Pradhan take responsibility for the paper leak and tender his resignation immediately,” Gujarat Congress spokesperson Parthivrajsinh Kathvadia said.On his visit to Ahmedabad, Pradhan wrote on X, “At the Meeting of the Coordination Forum of IIMs held at IIMA Ahmedabad, we brainstormed on the role of IIMs in shaping ViksitBharat-2047. Discussions focused on student welfare, institutional coordination, academic excellence, innovation, and global competitiveness.”He added, “India’s IIMs are among the strongest catalysts of nation-building and economic transformation. They have also emerged as models of excellence for the world in leadership and management education. By nurturing innovation ecosystems, adapting to emerging global challenges, and fostering values-driven education, IIMs can evolve into national assets that drive India’s transformation into a developed nation while also contributing meaningfully to global discourse.”Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:NEETPaper leakAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Advertisement