The North East Students’ Organization (NESO) and the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) have strongly condemned the alleged use of excessive force by police against students participating in protests in New Delhi on July 20, calling for accountability and comprehensive reforms in the country’s examination and recruitment systems.
In a statement, NESO described the baton charge, use of tear gas and reported deployment of plainclothes personnel armed with lathis against unarmed students as an assault on democratic values and the constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
The organisation also criticised the Government of India for what it termed an insensitive response to issues affecting millions of students and job aspirants. It said the concerns raised by the protesters—including repeated competitive examination paper leaks and the demand for greater transparency, accountability and fairness in recruitment and examination systems—were legitimate and deserved immediate attention rather than suppression.
Expressing solidarity with the protesting students, NESO wished a speedy recovery to those injured during the police action and urged the Centre to engage in sincere dialogue, ensure accountability for the alleged use of excessive force and undertake comprehensive reforms to restore the credibility and integrity of the country’s examination and recruitment systems.
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Meanwhile, the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) also condemned the reported use of force against students during the protests, stating that such actions against unarmed demonstrators were deeply disturbing and raised serious concerns about the protection of democratic rights.
DNSU said students across the country were raising genuine concerns over the integrity, transparency and fairness of competitive examinations and recruitment processes, and that responding with force instead of dialogue was regrettable and unjustifiable.
The Union reaffirmed that the right to peaceful assembly and expression is fundamental to democracy and warned that attempts to silence students through intimidation undermine the principles of justice and accountability.
Expressing solidarity with the affected students, DNSU appealed to the authorities to exercise restraint, prioritise the safety of students and engage in meaningful dialogue to address their grievances. It also called for immediate measures to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness in examination and recruitment systems, stating that lasting solutions can only be achieved through reform and constructive engagement, not the use of force.
