Students on hunger strike in Calcutta National Medical College. Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Calcutta, May 20: As students sat for the Joint Entrance Examination today, some of their parents threw their weight behind the protest against reservation.

Members of Youth for Equality, a national body leading the agitation against the proposed quota for Other Backward Class students, visited various examination centres to garner support from the guardians.

“This proposed reservation will not only hit us, but all meritorious students aspiring to higher education. So we have launched a drive to take people from all walks of life and involve them in the ongoing agitation,” said Satyajit Das, a member of the group.

Later, some guardians visited Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, where the Youth for Equality has been staging an indefinite hunger strike and a sit-in.

“We don’t support reservation as it disregards merit. I wouldn’t like to see my son missing the bus because of this reservation,” said Nirobi Dutt, who has come from Guwahati.

“We think it is our duty to stand by the agitators who are fighting for a good cause,” said Subhas Samanta, another guardian.