NEET Protest Shows Greater Resolve Than 2011 Movement but Lacks Leadership, Say Observers

PTI, July 25, 2026, New Delhi : Amid the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak, political observers have opined that this movement displays greater courage than the Anna Hazare movement in 2011. However, they said the lack of mature leadership remains its weakest point.

The political analysts also stated that this youth-led movement has emerged as the biggest political challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 12-year tenure and provided a "lifeline" to the opposition.

Sociologists and former AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Anand Kumar, who played key roles in the Anna Hazare movement in the capital nearly a decade and a half ago, believe that the young protesters of today possess more courage and mettle than those who participated in the anti-corruption movement demanding the Jan Lokpal Bill.

They said while both movements share similarities, such as public discontent against the establishment, the current movement differs vastly from the Anna movement in terms of its social base, core issue, leadership and political context.

Yogendra Yadav told PTI, "The similarity between the two movements is that both were directed against the establishment and witnessed a spontaneous public upsurge. However, the support for the current movement is significant in a unique way, as it involves a large number of young people who had never previously shown interest in politics."

The youth participating in the current movement are protesting by taking greater risks, Yadav said, adding that the current movement has broken the silence prevailing in the country.

Political analyst Sanjay Kumar stated that while it is premature to draw definitive conclusions regarding the implications of the current agitation, it has certainly provided a "lifeline" to the opposition.

He noted that there have been very few issues in recent years on which the opposition has managed to corner the government in this manner.

Sanjay said the farmers' protest was largely confined to Delhi's borders, whereas the NEET issue concerns the youth — a demographic present in every part of the country.

"When a movement involves the youth, it becomes difficult for any government to control it or engage in dialogue with them," he said.