Abhijeet Dipke and supporters held an overnight sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 19, 2026 [1].
The demonstration highlights growing public anger over the alleged leak of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG exam papers. Because the exam determines entry into medical schools, the controversy has sparked widespread demands for government accountability.
Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, led the gathering along with Dr. Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk [1], [2]. The group is demanding the immediate resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in response to the paper-leak scandal [1], [3].
A few hundred people attended the protest [3]. The participants continued their sit-in through Saturday night despite the fact that police-granted permission for the gathering had ended at 5 p.m. on Saturday [2].
Dipke said students and parents should join the movement as the protest transitioned into an overnight vigil [3]. The gathering included a mix of students, parents, and political supporters who converged at the historic site to voice their grievances regarding the integrity of the national examination process [1], [2].
The protest marks an escalation in the public campaign for transparency in India's competitive examinations. By involving high-profile supporters and maintaining a physical presence in the capital, the organizers aim to keep the NEET controversy at the forefront of the national political agenda [1], [3].
“An overnight sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan”
The overnight nature of the protest and the involvement of figures like Dr. Gitanjali Angmo signal a shift from student-led complaints to a broader civil society movement. By challenging the Education Minister's tenure, the protesters are attempting to move the issue from a technical administrative failure to a matter of political accountability.
