Youth-Led "Cockroach" Movement Draws Nationwide Attention Amid Education Reform Protests
New Delhi — July 2026 Thousands of demonstrators gathered in New Delhi and several other Indian cities this week as the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement expanded from an online campaign into one of the country's largest recent student-led protest movements. Protesters are calling for reforms to India's examination system, greater accountability over repeated examination paper leaks, and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The movement began after a remark comparing some unemployed young people to "cockroaches" gained widespread attention. Many students adopted the term as a symbol of resilience, organizing under the satirical name "Cockroach Janta Party." Public frustration intensified following controversies surrounding examination paper leaks, particularly affecting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which has become a focal point of the protests. Demonstrations and Police Response The largest d...