Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Thursday the establishment of fast-track courts to swiftly prosecute individuals involved in examination paper leaks. This marked his initial public response following days of widespread student protests demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Despite the announcement, demonstrators and opposition parties remained unsatisfied, continuing to call for Pradhan’s resignation. Opposition lawmakers also disrupted parliamentary sessions for the fourth consecutive day in protest.
On Wednesday night, clashes erupted between protesters and police in New Delhi, where law enforcement deployed tear gas and batons to disperse the crowds. The protests have escalated into the largest youth-led challenge to Modi’s administration since he assumed office in 2014, with opposition parties endorsing the demonstrators’ demands. This unrest represents the most significant political crisis of Modi’s third term, which began in 2024.
Modi emphasized on social media, “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!” He added that the government’s decision to set up fast-track courts aims to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks, warning that anyone jeopardizing young people’s futures will face consequences.
Fast-track courts are specialized judicial bodies designed to expedite case processing, bypassing India’s typically slow and overloaded justice system. These courts have previously been established to handle cases involving sex crimes against women and children, terrorism, money laundering, and offenses by lawmakers.
Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which initiated protests last month against the exam paper leaks affecting approximately 2 million students and linked to several suicides, expressed skepticism. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka pointed out that fast-track courts address only one aspect of the problem, questioning why paper leaks continue to occur in the country.
Ranka remarked, “Fast-track courts have been set up for numerous issues, but whether they have effectively resolved those problems is a question everyone knows the answer to.” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke vowed to continue protests until Pradhan steps down.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi, leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, accused Modi of being the greatest threat to the youth’s future. Opposition lawmakers protested outside the parliament building with placards demanding Pradhan’s resignation and disrupted sessions inside, leading to repeated suspensions.
In response, members of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies staged a counter-protest, calling for a parliamentary discussion on the exam paper leaks. Modi’s ministers accused the opposition of insincerity for refusing to agree to a debate on the issue.
On Wednesday night, over 10,000 people gathered at the Jantar Mantar protest site in central New Delhi. Some protesters threw stones and plastic bottles at police, injuring several officers who required hospital treatment. Thousands returned to the site on Thursday afternoon, carrying anti-government signs and chanting slogans amid a heavy security presence.
Due to security concerns, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced the closure of 16 stations in and around central New Delhi until further notice, marking the second large-scale shutdown this week and causing inconvenience for thousands of commuters.
In a significant development, Modi’s government has held one round of talks with CJP leaders, assuring them that their demands will be considered and that reforms to the examination system will be initiated.
The CJP protests began as an online satire involving only a few hundred young people but have since grown substantially, reflecting widespread frustration among Indian youth over issues such as job shortages and recurrent exam leaks. The movement has also provided opposition parties with a rare opportunity to challenge Modi and the BJP, which relies heavily on young voters and has secured several state election victories since the 2024 general election, where Modi failed to secure an outright parliamentary majority.
