India’s student-led protests continued to gain momentum on Wednesday, with thousands of demonstrators gathering at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to demand accountability over examination scandals and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The demonstrations, spearheaded by the social media-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, have become one of the biggest public challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government since its 2024 re-election. Protesters have vowed to remain at the site until the education minister steps down.
The movement received fresh political backing after opposition parties raised the issue in parliament and staged protests against the government’s handling of the demonstrations. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called for an apology over the police crackdown on protesters, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the government’s silence on an issue affecting millions of students.
The protests, initially sparked by controversial remarks reportedly made by Chief Justice Surya Kant, have expanded to include demands for education reforms, greater employment opportunities, and increased government accountability.
Violence erupted on Monday when police used tear gas and batons to stop protesters marching toward parliament. Demonstrators responded by throwing stones, leading to the capital’s largest street protest in five years. Rights groups, including Amnesty International, questioned whether the police response complied with international human rights standards, while India’s Supreme Court declined to hear a petition alleging police brutality.
Public anger has been fuelled by a series of examination controversies, including the leak of a national medical entrance exam paper that forced more than two million candidates to retake the test, along with disputes over the online marking of high school examinations.
Responding to the growing criticism, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government remains committed to reforms and accountability, stating that students deserve “answers, reforms and accountability.”
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The movement has also spread beyond the capital, with solidarity protests reported in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Goa.
