Student protests erupted across several major Indian cities on Thursday, intensifying pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid widespread youth discontent over education issues and unemployment. The largest demonstration took place in Kolkata, where an estimated crowd of more than 100,000 marched through the streets before clashing with police, who responded with tear gas and batons. Smaller protests also occurred in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi.
The demonstrations were organized by the “Cockroach” movement, which began as a satirical online campaign but has evolved into a significant force representing student frustration following the May leak of national exam questions. The protests gained momentum this week as mainstream opposition parties joined in criticizing the government’s handling of the situation.
The government’s response to earlier protests, especially a crackdown in Delhi on Monday where thousands of students were teargassed and beaten by police, has contributed to heightened public anger. In the wake of ongoing unrest, two government ministers met with protest representatives on Thursday afternoon, requesting additional time to review their demands, which include the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In a direct address to the protesters for the first time since the controversy began, Modi, who has served as prime minister for 12 years, released a video message late Thursday night. He promised to establish fast-track courts to expedite justice and impose strict penalties on those responsible for the exam paper leaks. Modi also announced the removal of the top civil servant in the education ministry as part of efforts to respond to the crisis. “I know [an exam] paper leak is not a small issue,” Modi stated. “For millions of students and parents, it is deeply painful. That is why we have taken several steps. Those guilty have been arrested and are in jail.”
Despite these concessions, protest leaders rejected Modi’s address as insufficient. Ashutosh Ranka, spokesperson for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), called the prime minister’s late-night video “a sign of immense pressure.” Protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar observatory responded with chants of “Modi, shame, shame!” throughout the evening.
Authorities in the capital also shut down 17 metro stations on Thursday and reports emerged of mobile internet disruptions near protest sites. Additional controversy arose over police deployment of facial recognition technology intended to identify protesters, a move officials described as necessary to apprehend criminals amid the demonstrations.
The CJP indicated on its social media platform that the mobilization has transcended a single protest to become a broader youth movement opposing systemic problems in education and governance, emphasizing that "students are no longer staying silent." The protests continue to highlight growing dissatisfaction among India’s youth, presenting a significant challenge for Modi’s government moving forward.