New Delhi: Three student leaders affiliated with the All India Students’ Association (AISA) ended their 23-day indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on Monday after receiving assurances from a delegation of Opposition leaders that their concerns over the education system would be taken up in Parliament.
The protesters—Neha, Manish and Aameen—had been demanding greater accountability in the country’s education sector, with their campaign focusing on the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The fast concluded amid rainfall at the protest site, marking the end of one phase of the agitation that had drawn support from politicians, activists, academics and members of the film industry.
According to AISA, the decision to call off the hunger strike followed an appeal by a delegation that included Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, MPs Rajaram Singh and Amra Ram, activist Yogendra Yadav, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, Professor Atul Sood, and actors Prakash Raj and Shabana Azmi.
Addressing the gathering, Yogendra Yadav said the conclusion of the fast should not be seen as the end of the movement but rather as a shift in the form of protest. Manoj Jha commended the students for bringing national attention to their concerns, while Rajaram Singh assured them that the Opposition would raise the issues in Parliament.
Actor Shabana Azmi also expressed solidarity with the protesters, saying the younger generation had demonstrated determination and leadership in highlighting issues affecting students.
Despite ending the indefinite fast, AISA announced that its campaign would continue through a month-long nationwide programme targeting what it described as failures in the education system. The organisation said it would intensify its demand for accountability from the Education Ministry, the NTA and policymakers responsible for implementing the NEP.
AISA further claimed that the three student leaders experienced serious health complications during the protest, including a loss of more than 12% of their body weight, critically low blood sugar levels and other health concerns caused by the prolonged fast.
The organisation maintained that while the hunger strike has concluded, its broader movement for reforms in the education sector will continue in the coming weeks.
