Assam has ordered the withdrawal of cases registered over protests against alleged NEET-UG examination irregularities and begun reviewing the release of 13 people arrested during the agitation.
The state government said no adverse legal action would be initiated against people involved in demonstrations covered by the decision. Police authorities have also been directed not to pursue further proceedings connected with the protests, effectively closing the matter once the required legal steps are completed.
Five cases were registered in Assam during the demonstrations, which formed part of a wider youth-led mobilisation over allegations of question-paper leaks and failures in the national examination system. The government’s decision applies to cases registered before 6 pm on July 26.
The Home and Political Department said the process of withdrawing the cases would begin promptly and proceed in accordance with the law, irrespective of the stage reached by each investigation or prosecution. Arrests and detentions arising from the covered cases will be examined separately, with authorities instructed to expedite the review and release process.
The announcement follows warnings from the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, that protests could resume unless detainees were freed and cases withdrawn across the country. The organisation had accused authorities in several states of continuing police action despite assurances given during negotiations that led it to suspend its nationwide agitation.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das had raised concerns about arrests and detentions in Assam, Bihar and West Bengal. The organisation said it ended its protest campaign after receiving an assurance from the Union government that participants would not face punitive action for joining demonstrations over the examination controversy.
Assam’s order substantially addresses those concerns within the state, although the wording stops short of providing automatic release to everyone arrested. It instead commits the government to reviewing the arrests and initiating the release process expeditiously, leaving individual cases to move through the required administrative and judicial procedures.
Bihar has issued a similar assurance covering demonstrations held before the same July 26 deadline. Its government said criminal cases, complaints and other proceedings linked to the protests would be withdrawn and that no further punitive action would be taken against participants covered by the decision.
The parallel announcements have eased pressure on the authorities after CJP representatives alleged that arrests were continuing even after an agreement was reached with the Centre. The organisation had demanded written guarantees and warned that a failure to implement the assurances could revive demonstrations that had drawn large numbers of students and young people.
CJP said it had also received commitments that comparable measures would be taken in other states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party or its allies. That claim has not yet been matched by formal notifications from every state concerned, leaving the status of protesters elsewhere dependent on separate decisions by state administrations.
The situation in West Bengal remains a point of contention. Student organisations and CJP representatives have demanded the release of protesters detained in Kolkata and the withdrawal of cases filed after demonstrations over the alleged examination irregularities. Authorities there have not announced relief on the scale offered by Assam and Bihar.
The protests developed from anger over allegations of leaks, manipulation and administrative failures surrounding NEET-UG, the entrance examination used for admission to undergraduate medical courses. Demonstrators demanded accountability from those responsible for managing the examination process, protection for candidates and wider reforms intended to prevent fraud.
The agitation also became a broader expression of frustration among young people over the credibility of competitive examinations. Protesters argued that repeated controversies surrounding recruitment and entrance tests had damaged confidence in institutions and imposed financial and emotional costs on candidates and their families.
Assam said its decision was taken after considering the circumstances surrounding the protests and the need to strengthen accountability and introduce systemic reforms across the examination and higher-education ecosystem. The language of the order links legal relief for protesters with a wider acknowledgement that public confidence requires institutional action.
Withdrawal of an FIR or prosecution is not always immediate. Depending on the offences invoked and the stage of proceedings, police, prosecutors and courts may need to complete formal steps before a case can be closed. Those already in custody may also require bail or release orders from the relevant court.
