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What began as a protest over the NEET paper leak has snowballed into a nationwide student movement , with students and sympathisers hitting the streets across the country. Despite assurances from the Centre to address their grievances, students have vowed to continue their protests till their core demands are met. In Kolkata, parents of protesting students are grappling with a complex mix of fear, pride and conviction as they watch them trying to ensure a fairer education system.

Shared conviction
Parents say their children joined the protests not out of impulse but from a conviction. “Good education is every student’s right, and if the system is not providing the right support, it must be questioned,” says writer Anindita Halder, whose son is a master’s student at Jamia Millia Islamia . Teacher Debjani Bhattacharya, whose daughter is pursuing an MSc at IIT Delhi, says she has always encouraged her to question injustice and think independently. For both mothers, supporting the protests came down to trusting their children’s judgement and recognising their participation as a fight for a fairer education system.

A mom’s dilemma
For many mothers, the first emotion was fear. Many learnt their children had joined the protests only after spotting them in videos online or hearing from others. “I was surprised to see my son at the protest. He hadn’t told me anything,” says writer Anindita Halder, whose son is a master’s student at Jamia Millia Islamia. However, she later realised students have every right to demand an accountable education system. Nasreen Ahmed, whose daughter studies at Maulana Azad Medical College, says every update from Delhi makes her heart skip a beat, even as the students’ solidarity gives her hope. Swati Sharma discovered her son’s presence at Jantar Mantar through another parent, while Vidhi Gupta says she had no idea her daughter – a DU student had joined the protests but believes no child should have to fight for a fair education.

Voice from academia
For JU’s former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Saswati Mazumdar, the protests reflect concerns over the credibility of the education system. Her years in academia make her aware of what is at stake. Her daughter’s videos from the protests – she is a research associate at IIT Delhi – reinforced her concerns over alleged police action and repeated exam leaks. She hopes the protests lead to greater educational accountability and a more empathetic response from the authorities.