The Bihar government has withdrawn criminal cases filed against students who protested alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance examination. The decision follows widespread public outcry and political pressure after police registered FIRs against demonstrators in multiple districts, including Patna, earlier this month. The protests were sparked by accusations of question paper leaks and grace mark discrepancies that triggered a Supreme Court hearing and a CBI investigation into the National Testing Agency's conduct of the exam. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's administration reversed course amid criticism that the cases criminalized legitimate student grievances over the integrity of a pivotal national examination.