New Delhi, July 25 : The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical campaign that evolved into a nationwide protest movement, on Friday called off its agitation hours after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid mounting pressure over the NEET-UG examination controversy.
The announcement marked the end of weeks of demonstrations that centred on allegations of examination paper leaks and irregularities in the conduct of national-level entrance tests. The protests emerged as one of the largest displays of public dissent against the Narendra Modi government in recent years, with thousands of students and supporters camping in the national capital while similar demonstrations spread to several parts of the country.
Although styled as the “Cockroach Janta Party”, the group is not a registered political party. It began as a satirical online campaign before transforming into a broad-based movement demanding accountability, examination reforms and action against those responsible for alleged irregularities.
The agitation gained further momentum after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had joined the campaign, was taken to hospital during his 26-day hunger strike. Wangchuk ended his fast on Friday following the resignation of the education minister.
Public anger also intensified after police action against demonstrators attempting to march towards Parliament, with videos of the crackdown circulating widely on social media and drawing criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups.
Throughout the protest, demonstrators demanded an independent investigation into the alleged examination irregularities, stronger safeguards against paper leaks, greater transparency in the examination system and accountability from the authorities.
The movement adopted the term “cockroach” as its symbol after a senior judge reportedly used the expression while referring to some unemployed young people. Protesters reclaimed the term as a symbol of resilience, persistence and defiance, making it the defining identity of the campaign.
The resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan came after weeks of sustained protests and growing political pressure over the handling of the NEET-UG controversy. Student groups said they would continue to monitor the government’s promised reforms to ensure greater transparency and fairness in future national-level examinations.
