1. Tears of 2.2 Million Test-Takers and the Counterattack of the 'Cockroaches'

In the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for Indian medical schools held on May 3, another massive question leak occurred, leading to the test's sudden cancellation and a retake on June 21. It was thunderous bad news for students and parents who had spent years studying late into the night. Unable to bear the overwhelming pressure and futility, at least 12 test-takers ended up taking their own lives in tragic succession.

NEET, taken by more than 2.2 million people annually across India, is one of the few pathways for young people to achieve social mobility. In India, the paths to becoming a doctor, lawyer, or civil servant are extremely narrow. Even after attending prep schools for years to study for rote-memorization exams, passing slots are severely insufficient. For those from poor families or lower castes, such exams are the sole ladder for upward mobility.

Recently, the Indian film '12th Fail', which tells the story of a young man who passed the civil service exam after nearly 10 years of studying, became a huge box-office hit. However, behind every successful candidate, there are millions of youths who fail miserably. According to India's Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation and foreign media tallies, up to 25,000 students in India died by suicide due to exam pressure and related stress between 2014 and 2024.

Amid this despair, a post on social media by an Indian student studying in the United States ignited the spark: "What happens when all the cockroaches gather?" This was a witty and refreshing counterattack that flipped a remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who had compared young people to "cockroaches" and "parasites." Abhijit Dipke, who wrote the post, soon formed the 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP), a satirical political party parodying the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

2. Gen Z's Solidarity Unbroken by Tear Gas and AK-47 Crackdowns

On June 21, full-scale protests began at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Thousands of students set up tents and staged a sit-in. Their demands were clear: the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, reform of the examination system, and compensation for the families of students who committed suicide. The protests rapidly spread across the country, including Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bihar.

On July 20, the situation took a sudden turn. As protesters marched toward Parliament, police launched a heavy-handed crackdown. Tear gas, stun guns, and even batons embedded with nails were deployed. Dozens were injured, and one student was rushed to the intensive care unit. In Bihar, shocking scenes were captured of police firing AK-47 rifles toward protesters. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the related videos spread like wildfire across social media.

During the 12 years of Narendra Modi's administration, violent crackdowns on this scale had rarely been seen. While mainstream media reported passively out of fear of the government, Gen Z broadcasted the scenes live in real-time through Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). That evening, all of India boiled over. Even famous actors and athletes who usually refrained from political statements posted messages of solidarity.

The streets were filled with people draped in the national flag, and Hindi chants echoed through the streets: "Whenever Modi is afraid, he puts the police out front," and "Pradhan is just the beginning, Modi and Amit Shah are next." Memes mocking Prime Minister Modi as a coward covered T-shirts, placards, and Instagram Reels. It was an unprecedented outburst of anti-government sentiment.

3. The Modi Regime Yields

Ultimately, in late July, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan officially resigned. This marks the first time in the Modi government that a high-ranking cabinet minister has stepped down under pressure from public protests. In his resignation statement, Minister Pradhan claimed he was "stepping down to prevent the situation from being politically exploited by anti-national forces," but it is widely viewed as a submission to the fierce pressure from Gen Z.

The following day, Prime Minister Modi urgently appointed Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to lead an exam reform task force. The CJP held a victory rally and temporarily suspended protests.

4. The Unfinished Fight

However, the fight did not end there. On July 28, the CJP announced nationwide resumption of protests, alleging the government was breaking its promises because criminal charges against protest participants were not being dropped. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das warned in a statement: "At least 100 people have been arrested, and many face non-bailable charges. If the government does not keep its promises, we will have no choice but to resume nationwide struggles."

While Bihar and Assam states withdrew charges against protesters, authorities in places like Delhi and West Bengal continue to press charges against students. In response, the Supreme Court of India ordered on July 28 the immediate release of detainees under age 18 and the preservation of on-site CCTV footage. Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasized, "The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution," adding, "Those who exercised excessive violence against innocent citizens will face justice." Meanwhile, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta countered, "250 police officers were also injured during the protests."

Fierce attacks from opposition parties continued in Parliament as well. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi criticized, "Over 20 students took their own lives, yet is it normal to welcome a resigning minister with flower garlands?" Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav pointedly remarked, "They are trying to cut off the 'Pradhan' (minister) to save the 'Pradhan Mantri' (prime minister)."

5. 'Jobless Growth'… India's Exploding Structural Time Bomb

Analysts believe these protests go beyond anger over a leaked exam paper, representing the explosion of structural contradictions accumulated in Indian society.

India suffers from a severe shortage of administrative infrastructure and professional personnel. As of 2023, India's police ratio stood at 153 per 100,000 people, well below the UN recommendation of 222. Nineteen percent of posts in the elite Indian Administrative Service (IAS) remain vacant, and the doctor-to-population ratio is just 1 in 811 (compared to 1 in 313 in the U.S.). Yet, quotas fail to keep up with demand, and more than half of positions are filled through caste reservations. In 2022, a bizarre incident occurred where 10 million applicants competed for just 35,000 entry-level job openings at the Indian Railways.

According to research by Azim Premji University, the unemployment rate among college-educated youths aged 15 to 25 approaches nearly 40%. India has a median age of 29, making it a 'young country' where 40% of the population (about 600 million people) is under age 25. This massive youth population could be a 'demographic dividend' for economic growth, but in a society where opportunities are restricted, it can become the most dangerous spark threatening the regime.

Prime Minister Modi has promised to make India a developed nation by 2047. However, jobless growth, a rote-memorization exam system, and an extremely narrow door for social mobility remain unchanged.

6. Modi Came to Power via 'Anti-Corruption Protests': What Happens After the 'Cockroach Protests'?

These 'Cockroach Protests' are fundamentally different from the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act protests or the 2020 farmers' protests. Prime Minister Modi's own authority became the direct target of ridicule, and a decisive crack began to appear in his seemingly invincible political standing.

Historian Mukul Kesavan noted, "The CJP made the Modi government look dull and incompetent with its social media fluency and message control," while political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot diagnosed, "This is not a simple exam fraud incident. It is a structural revolt by Gen Z youth trapped in jobless growth and precarious working conditions."

Just as the nationwide anti-corruption protests in 2011 paved the way for Modi to take power three years later, observers suggest these bold satirical protests led by young people in 2026 could become a watershed moment shaping India's new political landscape. On the road toward the next general election in 2029, India's Gen Z, calling themselves 'cockroaches,' is sending a stern warning to the Modi administration.


Deep Dive Q&A
Q1. Why did young people call themselves 'cockroaches' and start protesting?

A1. It was because young people reinterpreted Chief Justice of India's courtroom remark comparing unqualified individuals and cheaters to 'cockroaches' and 'parasites' as satirical empowerment. Parodying Prime Minister Modi's ruling party, the 'Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)', they created the 'Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)' and voiced their opposition to discrimination and neglect through witty yet intense digital memes and solidarity.

Q2. Why did this develop into a political crisis shaking the entire Modi regime beyond a simple entrance exam issue?

A2. The medical school entrance exam (NEET) paper leak was merely the spark on the surface; the essence lies in 'jobless growth' with college graduate unemployment reaching 40% and severe blockages in social mobility. In a situation where millions of young people stake their lives on a narrow door, Gen Z's structural anger exploded against a government that responded with corruption and crackdowns.

Q3. What is the significance of the Education Minister's resignation in Indian political history?

A3. During the 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure, there was no precedent of a senior cabinet minister being forced out by public protests and public opinion pressure. It signifies that the invincible image of the Modi administration, which prided itself on iron-fisted rule, has been broken, demonstrating that social-media-armed Gen Z has emerged as a new political force.