A youth-led protest movement in India has forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after days of demonstrations over an alleged university entrance exam leak, marking a rare setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

Tens of thousands of young protesters gathered in New Delhi, led by the satirical online movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party. The protesters demanded accountability over an exam leak that they said had denied millions of students a fair opportunity and called for Pradhan to step down.

Pradhan’s resignation on July 25 was met with celebrations at Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century observatory that had become the main gathering point for the demonstrations. Protesters danced, sang and waved the Indian flag as they celebrated what they viewed as a victory for accountability and collective action.

The protests represented a rare retreat for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, which has faced several major protest movements since coming to power in 2014. The movement also demonstrated the ability of young people to organize quickly through social media and turn a specific grievance into a wider national debate.

The protesters were largely young people and members of middle- and lower-middle-class families, groups that have traditionally provided important support for the BJP, according to political scientist Rahul Verma of the Centre for Policy Research.

India has one of the world’s youngest populations, with more than 360 million people between the ages of 15 and 29. A recent report cited in the article found that nearly 40% of graduates aged 25 and under were unemployed, contributing to concerns among young Indians about employment opportunities and upward mobility.

The controversy intensified after the government acknowledged in May that exam papers for medical and dental courses had been leaked, forcing millions of students to retake the exams nationwide. The issue became a major source of anger among students and their families.

The Cockroach Janta Party originated as a satirical online movement founded by Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University graduate. It quickly became a platform for young people to express concerns about employment, governance and limited opportunities for social and economic advancement.

Social media played a central role in the demonstrations. Protesters filmed events, posted Instagram reels, shared videos and memes and provided real-time updates from the protest site. The online coverage helped attract more young people and contributed to turning the exam controversy into a national conversation.

Traditional television news outlets initially gave limited attention to the protests. By the time mainstream media began covering the demonstrations more extensively, the movement had already gained significant public attention.

Tensions escalated on July 20 when police used tear gas and sticks to disperse a march toward Parliament involving tens of thousands of demonstrators demanding Pradhan’s resignation. Some protesters subsequently began calling for Modi himself to step down.

The government later appeared to change its approach. Modi released two social media videos addressing students directly, thanking them for their responses and suggestions. The move came as the protests continued to gain momentum online.

The demonstrations were suspended after protest leaders said the government had assured them that their remaining demands would be addressed, including compensation for families of students who had died by suicide in connection with the exam leak controversy. The main protest site in New Delhi was subsequently cleared.

The longer-term impact of the movement remains uncertain. The Cockroach Janta Party demonstrated that a relatively new online movement could mobilize large numbers of young people, but its future influence will depend on whether the movement can maintain pressure on issues affecting India’s younger generation.

The next Indian general election is scheduled for 2029. Modi secured a third consecutive term in 2024, although his party won a reduced parliamentary majority compared with previous elections.

Abhijeet Dipke suggested that the movement would continue beyond the protests, telling supporters before leaving the Jantar Mantar site: “This is not the end. We will meet again soon.”

SOURCE: CNN, Rhea Mogul and Kunal Sehgal, July 28, 2026.