Thousands of young protesters camped out on the streets of New Delhi on Thursday, breaking new boundaries in the latest show of force in what has become one of the biggest challenges to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
The “Iphela” protests started more than a month ago due to the leaking of some of the country's most competitive entrance exams for medical colleges and government jobs. Since then the movement has expanded beyond exam complaints, drawing in professionals and families while airing widespread frustrations.
Thursday's protests at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site in New Delhi, followed overnight clashes in which police used tear gas and batons to disperse crowds, the second clash this week.
Anti-government supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party chant slogans as they try to march towards the Indian Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup).
On Monday, thousands of protesters defied legal restrictions and marched on Parliament before police dispersed the protest with tear gas and batons.
Protesters regrouped on Thursday morning, returning to the protest site despite roadblocks, and authorities suspended Delhi Metro services at 16 stations to limit access to the protests.
Modi is trying to stop the outbreak of protest
The issue of exam leakage has become a powerful symbol of frustration for millions of Indian youth. The protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, changes in the examination system and compensation for the families of students who committed suicide after the examination paper was leaked.
Facing mounting pressure, Modi addressed the issue publicly for the first time on Thursday, announcing courts to handle exam paper leak cases. Fast track courts are special courts created to speed up cases in India's notoriously slow justice system.
Protesters shout slogans during a protest demanding education reforms as part of the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party movement in Mumbai, India, Friday, July 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool).
“Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!,” Modi wrote on X.
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The announcement failed to calm the protesters, who said Modi was not responding to their demands for accountability and reforms.
“Instead of giving a solution that is good for him, he should work for a solution that is good for the nation and set an example,” said law student Daksh Bhargava.
The cockroach party remains true to its funny origins
The leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party, which initiated the protest, said they will not end the protest until the Minister of Education resigns. Staying true to the organization's tongue-in-cheek style, its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, responded by posting a meme of Pradhan with the caption, “Hello, my name is nothing.”
The cockroach movement began as an online satirical campaign in May and moved to the streets in June with small protests across cities. It gained momentum after popular activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest and started a hunger strike that has lasted for more than three weeks. Police forcibly transferred Wangchuk to the hospital over the weekend.
The protests reflect growing anger among young people
For many young Indians, the protests have become one of the few visible forms of protest in a country where protests against Modi's government have led to a wide divide among activists, dissidents and civil society.
The group's rapid growth beyond student groups reflects a broader frustration among young Indians and reflects a broader trend across South Asia, where young people have led anti-government protests in recent years.
The movement has also gained followers among Indians of all ages over concerns about government accountability, unemployment and economic opportunity.
The opposition parties have supported the protests using this issue to challenge the government in Parliament. Protests and solidarity events were also held in other Indian cities, showing how the movement has spread beyond the capital.
Cockroach Janta Party supporters try to avoid tear gas fired by police as they try to march towards the Indian Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Prakash Singh).
India has one of the world's most youthful populations, as millions enter a job market that has struggled to create enough secure, well-paying jobs. Despite years of rapid economic growth, many young people say their prospects have not improved.
As one of the country's largest voting blocs, India's youth can also be a very important political group ahead of the upcoming elections.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
