Environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk joined a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The demonstration highlights growing public frustration over alleged misconduct in national examinations. The controversy centers on the NEET-UG paper leak and the CBSE OSM row, which have sparked widespread concerns regarding the integrity of India's competitive testing system.
Organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, the event took place on June 6, 2024 [1]. The gathering included party founder Abhijeet Dipke, along with hundreds of students and youth [2]. The participants said they wanted immediate accountability from the education ministry following the leak of exam papers.
Wangchuk, a prominent figure known for his educational reforms and environmental activism, lent his support to the call for Pradhan's resignation [3]. The protesters said that the systemic failures surrounding the NEET-UG examination require a change in leadership to restore trust among the student population [3].
The protest remained peaceful as participants gathered at the historic Jantar Mantar site. The group said that the integrity of the examination process is paramount for millions of students seeking medical education across the country [1].
While the government has not issued a formal response to the specific demands of the Cockroach Janta Party, the involvement of high-profile figures like Wangchuk increases the visibility of the grievance. The students present said that the current administration's handling of the paper leak has been insufficient [2].
“Sonam Wangchuk joined a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.”
The alignment of a high-profile activist like Sonam Wangchuk with a youth-led protest signals a broadening of the opposition to the current education administration. By linking the NEET-UG leak to a demand for ministerial resignation, the protesters are attempting to move the conversation from a technical failure of exam security to a matter of political accountability.
