Noida protest accused clears NET, credits jail reading routine

An accused in the Noida protest case has cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET), attributing his success to a disciplined reading routine he maintained inside Greater Noida jail.

Speaking at the prison, he said books had been his primary occupation during his time in custody. He began by concentrating on NET preparation, with friends bringing him study material from outside the jail.

His reading was not confined to exam syllabi. Alongside the preparation material, he worked through novels, poems and stories, a habit he described as central to keeping himself occupied during his incarceration.

The NET is a national-level examination that determines eligibility for teaching posts and research fellowships at Indian universities and colleges. Clearing it from within a prison, while facing proceedings in a protest-related case, marks an unusual academic achievement.

He said the bulk of his days in jail had been given to reading, a routine that began with a clear focus on the examination and later widened to include literary works.