Our Bureau
New Delhi
A youth-led protest movement demanding accountability over examination paper leaks intensified across the national capital on Tuesday, emerging as one of the most significant public challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government during its third term. Thousands of demonstrators continued their sit-in at Jantar Mantar despite violent clashes with police a day earlier that left nearly 180 people injured, including protesters and security personnel.
The protests are being spearheaded by the self-styled Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a movement that began as an online satire before evolving into a nationwide campaign against alleged corruption in India’s examination system. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, claiming that the leakage of question papers for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which affected over two million candidates earlier this year, exposed deep-rooted flaws in the education system.
Monday’s march towards Parliament turned violent after police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse demonstrators. Authorities said over 118 police personnel and around 60 protesters were injured, while dozens of participants were detained. Protest leaders, however, accused security forces of using excessive force and vowed to continue peaceful demonstrations until their demands are addressed.
The agitation has attracted support from opposition leaders, civil society groups and social media influencers, transforming what began as a student-led campaign into a broader expression of youth discontent over unemployment, governance and institutional accountability. Political analysts say the movement reflects growing frustration among India’s younger population and could have wider political implications if the underlying grievances remain unresolved.
The Union government has defended its response, stating that action has been taken against those involved in the examination leak and promising reforms to strengthen the public examination system. However, protesters have insisted they will continue their demonstrations until concrete policy measures and accountability are delivered.
