Activists seek justice for Sana Shaik, urge NEET reforms

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

A collective of students, activists and journalists has released a fact-finding report on the death of Hyderabad NEET aspirant Sana Shaik, calling for accountability, examination reforms and stronger support for students facing academic pressure.

The report was prepared after the team visited Sana's family at their native village in Proddatur, Andhra Pradesh, where her last rites were performed. The delegation said the visit was intended to express solidarity with the bereaved family and understand the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

According to the report, 19-year-old Sana, a resident of Miyapur, Hyderabad, had been preparing for NEET since 2025 and scored 980 marks in her Intermediate MBiPC examinations. The authors alleged that the uncertainty created by the NEET paper leak controversy and re-examination process had placed immense psychological pressure on students.

The report also recounts the family's version of the events leading to Sana's death and raises concerns over what it describes as insensitive media coverage following the incident. It further calls for improved safeguards in the conduct of national entrance examinations and greater access to mental health support for aspirants.

The fact-finding team urged both the Central and State governments to ensure transparency in examination systems, fix accountability for lapses and prevent similar tragedies in the future. They also appealed to political parties to treat the issue as a matter of student welfare rather than political rivalry.

Concluding the report, the activists pledged to continue supporting Sana's family and campaign for "#JusticeForSanaShaik," saying the tragedy should serve as a wake-up call for comprehensive reforms in India's competitive examination system.