The Chairman of BJD and opposition leader of Odisha, Navin Patnaik, strongly urged the government on Sunday to initiate a substantive dialogue with students who have been peacefully protesting for several days. He emphasized that such interaction is necessary to restore trust in the country's democracy and education system.
In his message on X, Patnaik stated that students should be given the opportunity to voice their concerns, insisting on dialogue instead of silence. He noted: 'A living democracy develops through dialogue, not through silence, and this dialogue is most important when it concerns the youth of the nation.'
The head of BJD also demanded that the issue affecting millions of students across the country be raised in Parliament as a matter of highest priority. According to him, comprehensive debates must lead to concrete reforms to prevent the recurrence of exam material leaks, incorrect grading, and systemic failures, as well as establish accountability for breaching trust.
Patnaik stressed that the integrity of the examination system is crucial for the country's future. He warned that the inability to protect its integrity could undermine faith that hard work and merit can help deserving students build a better future. He added that for millions of children in the country, education remains the only path to a bright future, as the Indian system has nurtured generations of doctors, scientists, engineers, teachers, and innovators who have contributed to the nation's development.
In Patnaik's view, the crisis goes beyond a mere failure in conducting exams and has damaged public trust in the foundations of the education system. He stated: 'A nation that jeopardizes the integrity of its examination system jeopardizes its own future.' Patnaik concluded that sincere and open engagement with peaceful young protesters can help restore faith in democracy, education, and the leadership responsible for shaping the future of young Indians. He also noted that '@bjd_odisha firmly supports the youth and students of the country.'
According to his wife Gitanjali Angmo, activist Sonam Wangchuk will end his indefinite hunger strike if politicians meet with him at Safdarjung Hospital and promise to raise the issue of accountability in the education sector during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which begins on Monday.
Angmo stated this while addressing protesters at Jantar Mantar, where the movement against the alleged NEET exam leak is led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Activist Wangchuk conveyed that he will cease his fast provided that political parties commit to raising this issue in Parliament.
Angmo specified: 'If political leaders meet with Sonam in the hospital and assure him that they will raise the issue of accountability in education during the Monsoon Session, he will end his hunger strike tomorrow.' She also relayed Wangchuk's appeal to his supporters ahead of the planned CJP march 'Chalo Sansad' on Monday, urging them to maintain peace and discipline.
Regarding the activist's health, Angmo reported that Sonam is in stable condition. She mentioned that she had tried to secure his transfer to a private clinic through a higher court but was unsuccessful. On Saturday, Delhi police forcibly took Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital after three weeks of fasting at the CJP protest site at Jantar Mantar.
Angmo and CJP claim that Wangchuk continues to fast in the hospital, refusing IV drips. CJP and Wangchuk himself demand accountability regarding the alleged NEET exam leak, action against those responsible, and broader reforms in the education system.
The proposed march to Parliament on Monday coincides with the opening day of the Monsoon Session, which will last until August 13. In recent weeks, the action has received support from several opposition leaders and student organizations, and the Delhi High Court is also monitoring Wangchuk's medical condition through periodic reports.
The Natu teachers' union has called on the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education to conduct a broader investigation into allegations of teacher positions being sold. These calls came after a video recording leaked, featuring current deputy director and department press secretary Muzi Malambi and his wife, Umhlazi Busisiwe 'Mthetu' Malambi, the district director.
Busisiwe 'Mthetu' Malambi has leveled accusations against her husband, Muzi Malambi, claiming he is involved in a scheme of sexual favors in exchange for jobs targeting teachers and in the alleged sale of teaching posts. Although these allegations have not been confirmed, both spouses firmly deny any wrongdoing.
The circulation of the video clip prompted several unemployed educators to state that they know colleagues who allegedly obtained positions after paying bribes, although no one has publicly named these individuals.
Despite the video allegations focusing on Muzi Malambi, Natu considers it irresponsible for the department to limit the investigation to one person. A Natu representative, Themba Mabidja, stated: 'We believe that if these allegations are true, there cannot be only one person involved in the sale of positions.' He emphasized that the investigation must be thorough to restore confidence in the hiring and selection processes within the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education.
Mabidja also appealed to teachers and the public to provide evidence of corruption. He insisted that positions should go to deserving and qualified teachers, not those who 'bought their way into the system.'
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) supported the investigation but warned against accepting unconfirmed statements as fact. Provincial Secretary Nomarashiya Kaluza described the content of the video as shocking but agreed with the department's statement that it was a personal conflict, while insisting on the need to investigate the allegations concerning the department's hiring processes.
The National Association of Teachers of South Africa (Naptosa) noted that proving these allegations would inflict further damage on public trust in the education department. Provincial CEO Tyrone Mudli remarked that these claims touch upon long-standing concerns about corruption in teacher appointments, as it undermines the department's reputation and causes disappointment among educators seeking a fair selection process.
Natu proposed that the department establish a special task force to examine the allegations related to the alleged sale of positions. Following the video leak, Muzi Malambi stated that the recording was made about five years ago during a marital dispute, and he welcomes the investigation, insisting that he and his wife were not involved in the sale of positions. Both Malambis rejected all accusations. Subsequently, the head of the KwaZulu-Natal Department, Nkosinathi Ngcobo, confirmed that the department has appointed an independent investigator to look into the allegations concerning teacher hiring and appointments.
A new scandal has emerged in India concerning the results of the Neet-UG 2026 retest after the scores of millions of students were published on July 16. Students, who were already distressed by the leak of Neet examination materials, began raising concerns on social media regarding alleged errors and discrepancies in the OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) answer sheets.
Some users on X reported sending emails to NTA India but received no response, although the Khaleej Times could not independently confirm these claims. On July 19, NTA stated that it is closely monitoring and verifying all received complaints, and also suggested that many OMR sheets might be either forged or generated by artificial intelligence.
The agency added that using fake or AI-generated OMRs could lead to legal prosecution and advised students and parents to provide original OMR sheets.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) of India conducted a national-level retest on June 21 because the initial exam, held on May 3, was cancelled due to material leaks. In the context of the Neet-UG 2026 scandal, at least 13 people have been arrested, including chief organizer PV Kulkarni, a chemistry teacher who participated in conducting the exam on behalf of NTA India. He allegedly dictated questions with options and correct answers during special tutoring sessions at his residence.
The Neet-UG scandal, along with other educational issues, has led to the formation of the satirical 'Munchy Janta Party' and mass protests from students and their supporters. Demonstrators are demanding the resignation of India's Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan. Leading Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protests and announced his intention to undertake an indefinite hunger strike in solidarity with CJP. However, Delhi authorities in India admitted Sonam Wangchuk to the hospital after his condition deteriorated on the 21st day of the fast.
