India student protests over exam leaks intensify in New Delhi

According to CNBC, thousands of Gen Z student protesters led by the Cockroach Janta Party continued gathering in New Delhi even as authorities cracked down on the movement, and police fired tear gas and baton-charged demonstrators on July 20 as they tried to march on parliament over alleged irregularities in major exams. The protests began on June 6 after students demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks in May, while a retest for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test was held in June after the exam was canceled. Atman Trivedi of DGA Albright Stonebridge Group said the demonstrations could become the most significant public challenge to the government since the farmers' mobilization in 2020-2021. Rahul Gandhi, India’s leader of opposition, said roughly 152 exam paper leaks have occurred over the last 10 years, affecting more than 75 million students, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said the government will investigate his claims. The Education Minister said on X that the government remains committed to discussing the matter and addressing youth concerns in the House.