Jitendra Singh offers talks to NEET protest leaders at JP Nadda’s home after stalled meeting
Union minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday invited protesters agitating over the NEET paper leak for fresh talks, this time offering to meet them at Health
Union minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday invited protesters agitating over the NEET paper leak for fresh talks, this time offering to meet them at Health Minister JP Nadda’s residence or office. The government, he said, had already made four formal offers in the past 24 hours. None had broken the deadlock.
The renewed outreach comes after a meeting on Monday with spokespersons from the protest side failed to produce any result. Singh said the government was ready to sit down “whenever you want,” for “as much length of time” as the student representatives needed. The message was direct. Come and talk.
Government resets the tone
Speaking for the central government, Singh said the administration was willing to discuss the issue that triggered the agitation as well as other connected concerns. He framed the invitation as open-ended and flexible, insisting the talks could happen at Nadda’s residence or at the minister’s office, depending on what the protesters preferred.
Nadda backed the invitation in public remarks, repeating that the doors were open. “Yes, we are ready. Come to our residence or to our official office,” he said, echoing Singh’s offer. The setting matters. A meeting at the health minister’s official premises would signal that the government wants to keep the conversation within the formal political channel, while also making clear that the invitation remains live.
Why the paper leak row keeps pressing the system
The dispute over the NEET paper leak has spilled beyond a single exam cycle. It has become a wider test of trust in the way one of India’s most important entrance examinations is run. For students, the issue is not just about one paper. It is about fairness, credibility and whether the rules protect those who play by them.
That is why Singh’s remark that the government would “go to any extent” to safeguard student welfare carries weight. The phrasing signals more than political caution. It is a bid to reassure angry students that the state is still engaged, even after earlier conversations failed to move the matter forward. The pressure now sits on both sides: the administration wants talks, and the protesters must decide whether the latest offer is enough to bring them back to the table.
Four offers, one opening
Singh said four separate offers had been extended to student representatives in the last 24 hours. He did not detail each one, but the number suggests the government is trying to keep contact alive after the stalled round on Monday. The repeated invitations also show a familiar pattern in Indian protest politics: when public anger does not fade, officials often return with a fresh venue, a new time, or a more senior face at the table.
This time, the choice of JP Nadda’s place gives the outreach a sharper edge. It puts the health ministry itself into the centre of the conversation and leaves little room for confusion about who is speaking for the government. Singh said he would accompany Nadda, underlining that the delegation would not be left to a single office or voice.
Whether the protest leaders accept remains unclear. For now, the government has set its position plainly: the invitation is open, the location is flexible, and the talks can run as long as needed. “We are ready,” Nadda said. “Come to our residence or to our official office.”
