Nearly 200 Sri Lankan groups express solidarity with Indian students protesting NEET paper leak

Updated: July 27, 2026 — 7:44 PM IST By: Meera Srinivasan

Sri Lankan activists outside the Indian High Commission in Colombo on July 27, 2026. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Nearly 200 activists, social movements, civil society organisations, and trade unions in Sri Lanka have expressed solidarity with students in India who have been protesting and voicing serious concern over the NEET examination paper leak and broader issues facing the education sector.

Statement of Support

"The voice of India's youth has been unstoppable, despite ridicule from the highest authorities and brutal police violence," the statement, issued on Monday (July 27, 2026), said.

Applauding the student protesters for "sustaining the struggle, despite heavy odds and police brutality," the statement said this could be a "significant step" towards achieving meaningful education reforms in India.

Caution and Regional Context

"However, learning from the Sri Lankan and regional experience, ensure that you remain vigilant and maintain pressure on the Government to deliver on its promises," the signatories cautioned the Indian protesters.

The signatories pointed to Sri Lankan youth gearing up to respond to "half-baked" education reforms that they said were not based on any proper public consultations and added, "We take heart in the struggle of our sisters and brothers in India."

Criticism of the Indian Government

Contending that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, has been adopting "blatantly fascist methods of governance," the activists said the students and youth of India "are the harbingers of change India is in dire need of."

"Dharmendra Pradhan has fallen. Modi and the BJP have been shaken! It is now time for the youth and working class of the South Asian region to unite and fight alongside one another! Jai Bhim," they said.

Protest Outside Indian High Commission

Meanwhile, a small group of activists gathered outside the Indian High Commission in Colombo on Monday (July 27, 2026) to express solidarity with Indian students and condemn the police violence unleashed on protesting students.

They carried placards with messages such as:

• "The power of the people is always stronger than the people in power"
• "Educate! Agitate! Organise!"
• "Modi, stop the witch hunt of student protesters"
• "The protest is not anti-national, your silence is"

Published: July 27, 2026 — 7:41 PM IST