New Delhi: India’s first Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra He on Thursday called for a “confidence-building” curriculum as protests against the NEET examination malpractices continue across the country, with several students dying by suicide.Without commenting directly on the ongoing protests or calls for the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Bindra said the focus should remain on making education transparent and relevant.“I have never considered myself a political person. But I believe that some issues belong to all of us, regardless of where we are. Education is one of them,” Bindra wrote on X.“The level of a country is found not only in its wealth or what it has done, but also in the opportunities it creates for young people. An education system that inspires confidence, rewards excellence and fosters passion is one of the strongest in the country,” he added.“I believe that we can all connect and work together to continuously strengthen our education, so that it remains a source of opportunity, innovation and hope for generations to come,” he said.
India’s Grandmaster Nihal Sarin also spoke on the issue, saying that he is deeply troubled by the difficulties students face in preparing for important exams and that such concerns should not be ignored.“We have to answer,” Sarin wrote on X.“As a young Indian who is proud to represent this country, I feel the pain. The pressure a young person endures while writing an important exam is not small. Sweeping it under the carpet is not acceptable,” he added.The protests are being led by the Cockroach Janata Party, while environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk supports the indefinite fast.Wangchuk, who was fasting at Jantar Mantar, was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital after doctors blamed him for his fall.He was later shifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram after his wife approached the Delhi High Court seeking his transfer to a government-run hospital.On July 20, thousands of students attempted to march to Parliament to protest against the irregularities in the NEET examination. The march was halted by the Delhi Police, who used tear gas and a charge sheet to disperse the protesters.
