Members of different student groups staged a protest outside the Lucknow University here against the central government over the cancellation of UGC-NET exam demanding resignation of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The students, mostly of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sangh and National Students' Union of India (NSUI), gathered outside Bhaurao Deoras Dwar of the Lucknow University and raised slogans against the Union Grants Commission (UGC), National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Union education ministry.

Holding a placard demanding resignation of Pradhan, one of the protesters told the media, "We worked hard for over a year for the NET exam which has been cancelled. This is injustice to us and strictest action should be taken against those responsible for it."

The education ministry on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of UGC-NET (National Eligibility Test) conducted by the NTA following inputs that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised and the matter has been handed over to the CBI for a thorough investigation.

As the protesting students were prevented from entering inside the university campus by the security staff, they sat outside it and continued their protest.

Some Samajwadi Party (SP) members also raised slogans at Hazratganj crossing of the state capital against the exam cancellation and demanded the minister's resignation.

In a shift from the earlier practice, the NET was conducted in the pen and paper mode this time on a single day (June 18) with a record 11 lakh students registering for the exam.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav along with other opposition parties also attacked the central government over cancellation of the exam.