Thousands protest in New Delhi demanding education minister’s resignation VIDEO

Thousands of protesters continued demonstrations in central New Delhi on July 24, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over a national exam paper leak scandal.

The protest was held near the Jantar Mantar observatory, with several roads blocked and security measures increased in the area. Mobile internet was reportedly unavailable near the protest site, while organisers distributed food to participants. Police observed the demonstration without intervening as the crowd continued to grow, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The protests are being led by the youth movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has demanded Pradhan’s resignation and reforms to India’s examination system.

“The protest will continue and will keep growing until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. If that does not happen soon, we will be forced to announce another nationwide protest call,” CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka told reporters.

The demonstrations intensified after an unauthorised “March to Parliament” on July 20, when police action against protesters left dozens injured.

CJP representatives said the government had responded positively to demands for compensation for families of students who reportedly died by suicide after the cancellation of a major medical entrance exam and for police cases against protesters who joined the march to be withdrawn. Further talks are scheduled for July 25.

The protests were triggered by a scandal surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), taken by nearly 2.28 million candidates on May 3 across more than 550 cities. The exam was cancelled and later retaken after allegations that the question paper had been leaked.

The controversy and the postponement of the exam have fuelled anger among students, who hold Pradhan responsible.

On July 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government had drafted legislation to combat exam paper leaks, including tougher penalties and an expedited court process. The bill was approved by the Cabinet on Friday and is due to be debated in parliament on July 27.

The protests have become a growing challenge for Modi’s government, particularly after authorities detained activist Sonam Wangchuk following a 26-day hunger strike held in solidarity with the demonstrators.

By Sabina Mammadli