AISA chief Neha Bora demands exam overhaul, criticises NTA

All India Students' Association national president Neha Bora has called for a decentralisation of major entrance examinations such as NEET and JEE, arguing that the current centralised system puts students from state boards and government schools at a disadvantage. Speaking at the 15th annual Hasan Memorial Lecture 2026 in Hyderabad, she said the Jantar Mantar protest had given students fresh confidence to question authorities. Bora is currently travelling across the country as part of the 'Gen-Z Rising: India Tour (Phase 1)' to build solidarity among student and people's movements.

The New Indian Express reports that Bora criticised the National Testing Agency (NTA) citing allegations of paper leaks, mismanagement and technical glitches. The Hindu quotes her charging that the NTA and the National Education Policy (NEP) have created a 'grand private model of education' that has allowed private coaching industries to flourish at the expense of public education. She alleged that people responsible for paper leaks were recruited by the NTA to its own committees and were also members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.

Bora also extended solidarity to students in south India protesting against NEET, imposition of uniform culture and language, and delimitation, which she said was being forced against southern states. She claimed the NTA-NEP combination made school education irrelevant and forced higher educational institutions to take loans, increase fees, and cut scholarships.