The spiralling agitation over the NEET issue saw protests and counter-protests by Congress and BJP across the country on Wednesday, with clashes and tense face-offs at many places, a day after Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders were forcibly removed from a dharna outside the prime minister's residence.
Two days after a 36-day student agitation concluded at Jantar Mantar, the iconic protest site in New Delhi is already witnessing new demonstrations, including calls for Gorkhaland and women's reservation, alongside curious visitors documenting the aftermath.
Job aspirants in Jharkhand are continuing their 19-day agitation against alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations, demanding greater transparency, cancellation of tests, and an independent probe. The protests have led to clashes with police, a political showdown with the BJP, and health concerns for hunger-striking demonstrators, despite government assurances of reforms.
The Indian government has confirmed its readiness for a Lok Sabha debate on the ongoing student protests and police action, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah set to address the concerns, particularly those related to the NEET paper leak issue.
Job aspirants and guest faculties in Bihar are protesting in Patna, demanding the timely conduct of the BPSC TRE-4 exam, transparency in recruitments, and the resignation of education officials. They also seek implementation of UGC regulations, increased age limits, and regularisation of assistant professor appointments, threatening further agitation if demands are not met.
Job aspirants in Jharkhand are set to engage in fresh talks with the state government on Monday, as their protest against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations enters its 24th day. The demonstrators are demanding a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities and the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
Following Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation amidst widespread student protests over the NEET paper leak, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi congratulated the youth, calling it a crucial step for education reform, and urged broader public action to hold the government accountable, demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will operate as a 'pressure group' to address issues like public trust, unemployment, and institutional accountability, with founder Abhijeet Dipke declaring support for protesting students in Jharkhand and advocating for those involved in NEET paper leak agitations.
Student organisations across India are protesting the National Testing Agency's (NTA) decision to re-conduct the UGC-NET examinations for three subjects, citing repeated lapses that jeopardise students' academic and career plans. They are demanding the NTA be scrapped or held accountable for its failures.
The Jharkhand government has cancelled 44 recruitment examinations conducted by the state Public Service Commission (JPSC) and an outsourced agency since 2014, including the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, following a 25-day student agitation over alleged irregularities. This decision has led to protests from around 2,000 candidates who had already been appointed to various state government departments after clearing the JSSC-CGL exam.
Thousands of students clashed with Bihar Police in Patna while attempting to march to the chief minister's residence, protesting against the Bihar Public Service Commission's (BPSC) examination system and alleged irregularities.
The Jharkhand government is holding fresh discussions with student aspirants protesting alleged recruitment exam irregularities, even as the health of key protest leader Devendra Nath Mahto has significantly deteriorated after being on an indefinite hunger strike for about a week.
Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment exams announced burning the effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Rahul Gandhi in all districts on Sunday, accusing the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress alliance of "failing to take concrete action" on their demands.
The Mumbai police on Thursday ordered a probe and removed a police driver from the duty roster after a viral video purportedly showed him threatening student protesters with false narcotics charges if they returned to demonstrate.
Student organisations across India celebrated the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, attributing it to their nationwide protests against alleged NEET irregularities. While welcoming the move as a victory, groups like NSUI, AISA, and SFI affirmed their commitment to continue agitations until broader demands for accountability, transparency, and education reforms, including scrapping the NTA and NEP, are met.
JLKM leader Devendra Mahto, who ended his 16-day hunger strike after the Jharkhand government cancelled job exams over alleged irregularities, announced a second phase of protests for corruption-free recruitment by JPSC and JSSC, demanding government guarantees against future paper leaks and irregularities.
Opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a symbolic protest in Parliament, enacting the "theft" of Ram Temple donations. The INDIA bloc demanded Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation and questioned his absence, also protesting police action against student agitators.
The Supreme Court has established a five-member high-powered committee, led by former top court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy, to investigate allegations of police excesses against student protesters and violence against police personnel during recent demonstrations in Delhi.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced a 'kya bolti public' campaign to connect with citizens across India, understand their issues, and gather public opinion on the country's current situation. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke highlighted unemployment, education reforms, and media credibility as key focus areas, also claiming credit for Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation following protests.
Students intensified their protest over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand with five demonstrators joining an indefinite hunger strike, even as Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday said the question paper leak issues are a national problem and offered talks to resolve the impasse.
As the agitation over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations entered its 14th day, talks between the state government and student protesters on Friday failed to break the deadlock, with students deciding to continue their protest and hunger strike until their demands, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination, are met.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has cancelled the JSSC-CGL exam and all tests conducted by outsourced agency TDPL since 2014, following widespread protests by job aspirants over alleged irregularities. An examination reforms committee has been formed, while some protesters continue to demand a CBI probe.
The Jharkhand High Court has stayed the state government's notifications cancelling appointments made through the 11th to 13th JPSC examinations and for food safety officers, providing relief to approximately 450 candidates.
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has publicly supported students protesting against repeated exam paper leaks, emphasising the importance of meritocracy and condemning shortcuts. The ongoing protests, which have seen violent clashes, are spearheaded by the Cockroach Janata Party and Sonam Wangchuk, demanding the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET paper leaks and subsequent student suicides.
The Bombay Bar Association and senior lawyer Satish Maneshinde have strongly criticised the use of police force against students protesting the NEET leak issue in Mumbai. Maneshinde has offered pro bono legal assistance to any student facing legal action, while the BBA emphasised the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and dissent.
Recent protests by CJP supporters attempting to march towards Parliament in Delhi highlight a recurring pattern of public demonstrations in the capital over the past 15 years. The article details several significant protests, including the 2021 farmers' tractor rally, the 2011 Anna Hazare movement, the 2012 Nirbhaya protests, anti-CAA demonstrations, and the 2023 wrestlers' protest, all of which involved attempts to reach central Delhi's high-security zones to press demands.
A heated parliamentary showdown unfolded as NDA and INDIA bloc MPs clashed at Parliament's main gate.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), emphasised the importance of young or Gen Z voices leading dialogues with youth, ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's interaction with students in Mumbai. Dipke highlighted that youth protests, including those against the NEET paper leak, have compelled leaders to engage with Gen Z. He also expressed solidarity with students protesting alleged paper leaks in Jharkhand, criticising the government's handling of the issue.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition, has written to Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding accountability for the "barbaric assault" on students protesting in Delhi. Gandhi questioned the use of "lethal force," including pellet guns, and sought clarification on who authorised the violence against students, many of whom suffered serious injuries. The protests, spearheaded by the CJP movement, gained national momentum following the NEET paper leak and subsequent police crackdown.
The Congress-led Opposition is set to keep the pressure on the government in Parliament over the alleged police brutality against protesting students, demanding action against those responsible for the assault and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said on Sunday.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged girl students to "smash patriarchy" and criticised the "Manusmriti mindset" during an interaction in Pune, highlighting issues of sexual harassment, safety, and economic independence for women.
The Mumbai police have registered 13 FIRs since July 18 in connection with the ongoing protests on charges of unlawful assembly and violation of prohibitory orders, booking 400 people, officials said on Wednesday.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation, alleging that orders to use force against students during the July 20 "Sansad Chalo" march over the NEET exam paper leak must have come from Shah himself. Dipke also criticised the appointment of Pralhad Joshi as the new Education Minister and dismissed Yoga guru Ramdev's comments on Gen Z.
Home Minister Amit Shah has offered to hold a comprehensive debate in Parliament on student protests and other pressing issues, but Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has swiftly rejected the proposal, demanding accountability for actions against students.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called for an independent Supreme Court-monitored high-powered committee to investigate alleged brutalities against students during protests. He also demanded the sacking of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of culpability or incompetence regarding the police action, including the use of pellet guns. The BJP has refuted Gandhi's allegations, calling them baseless.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has voiced his support for the ongoing student protests against exam paper leaks, characterising it as a "revolt against feeling of suppression in a democracy." His comments follow similar calls from other prominent sports personalities like Sachin Tendulkar and Shubman Gill for lasting solutions. Students are demanding the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured steps to protect student interests amidst the protests, which recently saw a 'Sansad Chalo' march met with police action.
Bollywood has captured the essence of India's youth activism and student protests, from fighting corruption in Yuvaa to demanding accountability in Rang De Basanti.
Students and job aspirants in Jharkhand, protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, have formed an 11-member delegation to engage in talks with the state government. This decision follows Chief Minister Hemant Soren's offer for dialogue to resolve the ongoing impasse, which includes demands for exam cancellation, an independent probe, and comprehensive reforms in the JPSC and JSSC.
Students in Jharkhand are protesting alleged irregularities in various recruitment examinations, including JPSC and JSSC. A student leader has launched an indefinite hunger strike, demanding a federal probe and cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination. The Cockroach Janta Party has extended support, and a march to the Assembly is planned for August 7.
A large gathering of youth, primarily college students, convened at Shivaji Park in Mumbai to celebrate the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. This celebration followed a 36-day agitation by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesting exam irregularities and the NEET paper leak, which culminated in Pradhan's resignation. Political leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are set to address the crowd, acknowledging the youth's role in bringing about change.
