The new anti-paper leak law rightly raises the cost of organised examination fraud, but protecting merit will need stronger institutions and better governance. Nearly two million students were forced to retake the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) in 2026 after the examination was cancelled over an alleged paper leak. The disruption extended well beyond delayed admissions. Weeks of nationwide protests, the resignation of the Union Education Minister, the consti

The NEET protests at Jantar Mantar highlighted a democratic paradox: the right to protest is fundamental, but so is the state’s duty to restore order when violence erupts. The resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan marked an unusually swift act of political accountability. It acknowledged the gravity of the NEET examination fiasco, a scandal that had shaken the confidence of millions of aspirants and their families. The government cancelled the tainted ex

Gen Z says their next target is Nitin Gadkari and Nirmala Sitharaman Mumbai: Dancing on the tunes of ‘Zinghaat’, the Gen Z at Dadar, was celebrating Dharmendra’s Pradhan’s resignation. The ‘Tiranga’ rally called up by Thackeray brothers on Thursday for protesting was turned into a celebration rally after Pradhan’s resignation. ‘The Perfect Voice’ went on ground to know the real reaction of the Gen Z at the rally. A NEET student who gave the NEET and re-NEET exams this year, s

A CJP supporter celebrates in Nagpur on Saturday. Pic: PTI Mumbai: For only the second time in its 12-year tenure, the Modi government has been forced to bow down. The dramatic resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is not just a cabinet reshuffle; it marks the climax of a gruelling political standoff that has left the ruling dispensation visibly wounded. What began as a student outcry over exam irregularities morphed into a massive siege, exposing cracks

A protest for a genuine cause or problem earns public sympathy by appealing to the nation’s conscience. It begins to lose it the moment its members indiscriminately start abusing the nation’s institutions. That is where the CJP agitation now stands. It has outlived its purpose. The movement began with a legitimate grievance against the NEET paper leak and demanded some systemic education reforms. Millions of students deserve an examination system that is transparent, secure a

Every political crisis produces its defining image. The Emergency had press censorship. Anna Hazare’s movement had Ramlila Maidan. The farmers’ protest had Delhi’s borders. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) agitation may be remembered for turning a medical entrance examination into a major youth movement. Whether the agitation has succeeded depends on how success is defined. If it means forcing the government to defend its credibility, compelling Parliament to confront examinat

The protests at Jantar Mantar have brought together students, activists and political leaders over the NEET paper leak. Actors and filmmakers have offered support, the latest being Salman Khan (the actor, not the educator). The anger is understandable. An examination on which millions stake years of preparation cannot become a commodity available to those with money, influence or access. But what, precisely, must the protest achieve? “Improve education” cannot be its demand.

Rahul Gandhi’s decision to stage a protest outside the Prime Minister’s official residence was a spectacle that exposed a troubling decline in political responsibility. A Leader of the Opposition has every right to question the government, mobilise public opinion and demand accountability. But democratic protest does not mean abandoning every norm of institutional dignity. Gandhi comes from a family that has occupied the highest office in the country for generations. His fath

Are these protests still about NEET aspirants—or have they evolved into a broader political movement? Every few months, Jantar Mantar becomes the centre of yet another protest. This time, it’s a CJP-led demonstration centred around NEET and demands for education reforms. But if you spend some time there, a question naturally comes to mind: is this really a student protest anymore? Most genuine NEET aspirants are either preparing for their exams, waiting for counselling, or fo

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly mea

Mumbai: Nearly a month after unleashing a tsunami on social media, Abhijeet Dipke – who launched the ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ – is likely to return home early tomorrow (June 6) from the USA where he had gone to study and hunt for a job. In a departure message before boarding the flight, Dipke said: “On my way to India… Leaving my fate in the hands of the Constitution. #JaiBhim,” amid speculation that there could be repercussions for his recent statements which have earned hi