'Now or never': Students defy Delhi lockdown to march on India's parliament
News Source
β’Mon, 20 Jul 2026 18:10:03 +0000
π° What Happened
Thousands of students in India marched to parliament despite a lockdown in Delhi. They were protesting corruption in national exams and demanding reforms in education. The protest was led by a new youth group called the Cockroach People's Party (CJP). Many students carried hidden placards to avoid police. They were angered by a paper leak scandal that forced millions to retake a major medical entrance exam. At least 12 students have died by suicide since the scandal broke.
π The Backstory
India's National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a high-stakes exam for medical school. About two million students take it each year. This year, leaked papers forced the government to admit there was a problem and order retests. The CJP started as a parody account online but grew into a real youth movement. It now poses a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Students say the education system is broken and corrupt.
π― Why It Matters
This protest shows how young people in India are fed up with corruption and willing to risk arrest. Their anger over exams reflects a deeper crisis in how the country runs its education system.
Thousands of students in India marched to parliament despite a lockdown in Delhi. They were protesting corruption in national exams and demanding reforms in education. The protest was led by a new youth group called the Cockroach People's Party (CJP). Many students carried hidden placards to avoid police. They were angered by a paper leak scandal that forced millions to retake a major medical entrance exam. At least 12 students have died by suicide since the scandal broke.
India's National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a high-stakes exam for medical school. About two million students take it each year. This year, leaked papers forced the government to admit there was a problem and order retests. The CJP started as a parody account online but grew into a real youth movement. It now poses a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Students say the education system is broken and corrupt.
This protest shows how young people in India are fed up with corruption and willing to risk arrest. Their anger over exams reflects a deeper crisis in how the country runs its education system.