The student protests over alleged irregularities in India’s National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) gained significant support from the country’s entertainment industry on Thursday, as several prominent actors publicly voiced solidarity with students calling for accountability and reforms.
The demonstrations, which began after allegations of a paper leak and irregularities in the 2026 NEET examination, have since grown into a broader movement demanding greater transparency in India’s education system. Thousands of students have gathered at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and in several other cities, with many expressing concerns about the fairness of competitive examinations. The movement intensified following reports of police action against protesters, prompting celebrities from across the film industry to speak out. (Arab News)
Among the most prominent voices on Thursday was Alia Bhatt, who addressed the issue through an Instagram post. She urged society to listen to young people, saying their courage had humbled her and that their voices deserved to be heard. Her statement quickly drew widespread attention and added momentum to the growing number of public figures supporting the students.
Actor Salman Khan, who had already expressed his support for the movement, remained one of the most high-profile celebrities backing the protesters. His statement was followed by several other Bollywood stars who also shared messages of solidarity.
Twinkle Khanna said she was proud to be part of a country where young people have the courage to dissent, while Kareena Kapoor Khan, Varun Dhawan, and Sara Ali Khan also voiced support for the students. Their posts focused on the importance of listening to young people and highlighted concerns over reports of police action during the demonstrations.
Support for the movement was not limited to Bollywood. Veteran actor and politician Kamal Haasan called for education reforms, saying, “We should have listened when one child cried.” He urged policymakers to address the concerns surrounding the examination system and appealed to education activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike linked to the protests.
Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas also expressed his support, condemning the reported use of force against student protesters and calling for meaningful reforms to strengthen India’s education system.
The statements made on Thursday came after several other celebrities had already spoken in support of the students earlier this week. Those who have publicly backed the movement include Sonu Sood, Vir Das, Dia Mirza, Soha Ali Khan, Aditi Rao Hydari, Rohit Saraf, Prakash Raj, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, and Aayush Sharma, with many calling for transparency, accountability, and a fair investigation into the alleged examination irregularities.
The protests have continued to grow beyond the initial allegations surrounding NEET. Student groups are demanding a transparent investigation into the reported paper leak, accountability for those responsible, and reforms aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future. Many protesters have also called for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, arguing that confidence in India’s examination system has been undermined.
In response to the growing demonstrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government would take strict action against those involved in examination fraud and announced plans for fast-track courts to deal with paper leak cases. However, protests have continued, with students maintaining that lasting reforms and greater accountability are necessary to restore trust in one of the country’s most important competitive examinations.
As more well-known public figures continue to lend their voices to the movement, the NEET protests have become one of the most widely discussed issues in India, drawing national attention not only to the examination controversy but also to broader concerns about transparency and trust in the country’s education system.
