Youth Protests Continue Amidst Demands for Education Minister’s Resignation
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Youth Protests Continue Amidst Demands for Education Minister's Resignation
- The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has stated that the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan remains "non-negotiable" following a meeting with Union Ministers on Friday, July 24, 2026.
- This development comes as activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on Thursday, July 23, 2026, after receiving assurances from the government regarding discussions on examination reforms and protection for peaceful protesters.
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Student protests in India have intensified, driven by allegations of question paper leaks in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and other examinations. The NEET-UG 2026 exam, held on May 3, 2026, for over 2.27 million aspirants, was canceled on May 12, 2026, due to significant overlaps between a pre-circulated “guess paper” and the actual exam, leading to multiple arrests. This incident is part of a larger pattern, with over 90 instances of paper leaks and examination irregularities reported at national and state levels in India over the past two decades.
The youth-led “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP), which began as an online satirical campaign, has evolved into a substantial real-world political force. The CJP has been spearheading protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and comprehensive reforms to India’s education system. Their agitation gained momentum with activist Sonam Wangchuk joining a hunger strike on June 28, 2026, in solidarity with the students.
On July 20, 2026, thousands of protesters, including CJP members, attempted a “Sansad Chalo” (March to Parliament), which resulted in clashes with police who used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd. Amidst the ongoing unrest, Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh met with CJP representatives on July 24, 2026. While the government “in-principle” agreed to two CJP demands—compensation for families of students who died by suicide due to the paper leaks and no legal action against peaceful student protesters—they requested more time to respond to the demand for Pradhan’s resignation. Despite Wangchuk ending his fast, the CJP maintains that Pradhan’s resignation is non-negotiable and has vowed to continue their protests.