Modi Vows Stringent Punishment as India Exam Protests Intensify
Prime Minister promises fast-track courts to tackle exam paper leaks as student-led demonstrations grow into one of the biggest challenges to his government.
Students protest in New Delhi over exam paper leaks and education reforms.
India exam protests intensified on Thursday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged strict action against those responsible for examination fraud, responding publicly for the first time to demonstrations that have spread across the country.
In a post on X, Modi said protecting the future of India’s youth remained a top priority and announced plans to establish fast-track courts to prosecute those involved in question paper leaks.
“Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth,” the prime minister said, adding that those responsible for damaging students’ futures would face stringent punishment.
His remarks followed another day of demonstrations in New Delhi, where thousands of protesters led by the social media-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) rallied against repeated examination scandals and demanded the resignation of the education minister.
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The protests have gathered momentum since last month but escalated sharply on Monday when police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse tens of thousands of demonstrators attempting to march towards Parliament during the opening of the monsoon session.
As clashes intensified, some protesters threw stones at security forces, leading to widespread unrest. Police said at least 178 people, including security personnel, were injured during the violence.
The Cockroach Janta Party first emerged in May as an online satirical movement after reports that Chief Justice Surya Kant compared young people to “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a court hearing.
Since then, the movement has expanded beyond examination issues to campaign against unemployment, limited opportunities for young people and what organisers describe as the Modi government’s increasingly authoritarian style of governance.
The demonstrations have become one of the most significant political challenges facing Prime Minister Modi since he secured a third term in office in 2024.
Public frustration has intensified following a series of examination controversies, including the leak of a medical entrance examination paper that forced more than two million students to retake the test. Another dispute involving the online marking of examinations taken by nearly two million high school students has further eroded confidence in India’s education system.
With student protests continuing to grow, pressure is mounting on the government to restore trust in the country’s examination process through accountability and comprehensive reforms.
