Protesters from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged NEET-UG paper-leak irregularities.
The demonstrations signal growing public frustration with the integrity of national competitive exams, which determine medical school admissions for thousands of students across India.
Founded by Abhijeet Dipke, the CJP has centered its protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The group alleges that the Education Minister is responsible for the irregularities surrounding the NEET-UG exam. Dipke said the group is "not here just for one resignation."
As part of the escalation, CJP activist Sonam Wangchuk announced a planned march to Parliament on July 20, 2023 [1]. This action is intended to coincide with the monsoon session to pressure the government into removing Pradhan from his post.
The scale of the unrest has grown, with reports indicating thousands of supporters have clashed with police [3]. Despite the pressure, government officials have maintained a firm stance on the minister's position. A government source said, "There is no question of Pradhan resigning" [4].
There are conflicting reports regarding the government's timeline for a resolution. Some updates indicate the government sought a response deadline by Saturday afternoon [2], while the CJP has said the protest will not stop until the minister is fired [3].
The movement continues to mobilize in New Delhi, linking the demand for a specific resignation to a broader call for systemic reform in how the state manages high-stakes examinations.
“"There is no question of Pradhan resigning."”
The standoff between the CJP and the Modi government highlights a critical tension between grassroots activism and administrative accountability in India's education sector. By targeting the Education Minister specifically, protesters are attempting to move beyond technical fixes for exam leaks to demand political accountability for systemic failures in the NEET-UG process.
