New Delhi: Amid widespread outrage among SSC aspirants over several issues including absence of basic facilities during exams, prominent SSC educator Neetu Singh was recently seen on the streets of Jantar Mantar. She was supporting her students during a protest in the national capital.
In an in-depth conversation with Ruchika Srivastava of News9, Singh explained what sparked the protest, how events played out during her detention by the police, and the message she wants to share with both the authorities and the students.
What Led to the Protest
According to Neetu Singh, the protest began following multiple concerns related to the recent SSC exams, particularly after the commission appointed a new vendor, Eduquity. Students across the country reported a range of issues, exam centres being allotted in extremely remote locations, lack of basic infrastructure such as fans and even the absence of pens during the exam.
“We are not protesting for anything personal,” Singh told. “It’s about basic necessities. Students who have been preparing for such a crucial competitive exam should not have to face these hardships.”
Key Demands of the Protesters
The protesting educators and students have made their demands clear: a proper waiting list, a fair normalissation process, and separate exams for 10th and 12th-level candidates.
“This is not just about mismanagement,” Singh said. “It is injustice. Students prepare for months and years. They should not be out on the streets demanding basic exam facilities. All we are asking for is a fair and transparent examination system.”
Inside the Day of the Protest and Detention
On the day of the protest, Singh along with several others were detained by Delhi Police. “We were kept on a bus nearly for four hours and then taken to the Najafgarh police station,” she recounted. “Initially, the police had allowed a four-member delegation to meet officials from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), but that permission was suddenly revoked. What followed was complete confusion, and the situation turned chaotic almost stampede-like.”
Message to Students and Authorities
Neetu Singh made it clear that neither she nor any other educator had called students to the protest. “We are educators, not criminals” she said. “Our role is to guide and prepare students, not agitate them for protest on the streets. But when the system repeatedly fails the very students we teach, we are left with no choice but to raise our voices.”
She particularly highlighted the plight of middle-class and economically weaker students who put everything at stake to secure government jobs through these exams. She said, “they deserve a transparent and fair system”
As of now, Singh says no decision has been made on the next course of action but educators remain committed to standing with the students.