Kareena Kapoor Khan supports NEET 2026 Protest, backs students seeking Education Reforms

Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan has expressed solidarity with students protesting across India, demanding education reforms, accountability for the NEET 2026 paper leak and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Sharing a note on Instagram, Kareena said she decided to speak after reflecting on the issue for a few days. She stressed that students are the nation's future and that their voices deserve to be heard.

Kareena Kapoor Shared Strong Emotional Post

"I've sat with this for a few days, but I can't sit with it any longer. The voices of so many young people asking to be heard are impossible to ignore... and they shouldn't be. We all know what education means to a child. It gives them confidence. It gives them hope. It gives families proof that tomorrow can be better than today (sic)."

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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan)

'Children Deserve a System They Can Trust'

The 45-year-old actor, who is also a mother of two boys, highlighted the importance of maintaining trust in the education system. Kareena said students should never feel that honesty, hard work and merit no longer matter.

"But education only works if children believe in it. And they stop believing the moment they suspect that honesty, hard work and merit don't actually count. No child should have to wonder if their effort will be enough. They deserve a system they can trust, where merit is real, efforts is rewarded, and every child starts on equal footing. That isn't a lot to ask. It's the bare minimum (sic)."

Kareena Says Listening to Students Is an Obligation

Referring to the student movement, Kareena said an entire generation is raising its voice about its future and deserves to be heard.

"When an entire generation speaks with one voice about its own future, listening isn't a courtesy we extend. It's an obligation we owe them (sic)." She concluded her message by urging everyone to stand with students, adding that children are closely watching how adults respond to the current situation.

"Our children are watching us as closely as we watch them. How we respond now... not eventually, now... will tell them everything about whether fairness and trust are real, or just words adults use. They aren't preparing for tomorrow. They are tomorrow (sic)."

Varun Dhawan Also Supports the Students

Actor Varun Dhawan also extended his support to the protesting students through an Instagram post. He wrote: "Students are the future of our country. When a student's dream is crushed, it's not just one dream that's lost; it's the dream of an entire family. They have every right to ask questions when they feel the system has failed them. Their voices deserve to be heard, protected, and addressed with sincerity."

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A post shared by VarunDhawan (@varundvn)

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A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna)

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A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95)

Apart from them, several other Bollywood celebrities have also joined the protests on ground in Mumbai namely Twinkle Khanna, Sara Ali Khan, Huma Qureshi, Saqib Saleem, Jim Sarbh, Ranveer Shorey, Raftaar and several others. Veteran actors like Shabana Azmi, Praksh Raj and other have also visited the protest at Jantar Mantar. 

Student Protest Over NEET 2026 Paper Leak

The protests began at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and have since spread to several cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru and Patna.

The CJP (Cockroach Janta Party)-led movement emerged after the NEET 2026 paper leak and has grown into a nationwide protest over repeated examination irregularities. Students have been demanding greater transparency and accountability in the examination system, stricter safeguards against paper leaks, broader education reforms, compensation for affected candidates and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The campaign culminated in the Chalo Sansad march in Delhi on July 20, when thousands of students gathered at Jantar Mantar before clashes broke out after police stopped the procession towards Parliament.

- PTC PUNJABI