Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke returned to India on Saturday and led a large-scale protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests.
Held amid heavy security arrangements, the protest drew hundreds of participants, predominantly students, young professionals and parents. Many demonstrators wore cockroach masks and carried flowers as they joined the agitation.
Addressing the gathering, Dipke said the campaign seeking Pradhan’s resignation had been ongoing for a month on social media. “My friends, this is a long struggle. It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan’s resignation on social media, but these individuals are so shameless that instead of taking action, they have been focused on other distractions, like hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted. You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space,” he said, according to PTI.
Apart from seeking the education minister’s resignation, protesters raised five major demands. The first was a cautious approach towards digitalisation in education, with participants calling for proper assessment and teacher training before introducing new technology-driven systems. Many argued that rapid digitalisation without adequate preparation could create fresh challenges and opportunities for malpractice.
Another key demand focused on restoring normal educational activities in violence-hit Manipur. Protesters highlighted the difficulties faced by students in the state, where prolonged unrest has disrupted the functioning of schools and colleges, affecting academic progress and mental well-being.
The demonstrators also sought greater fairness and transparency in competitive examinations. Concerns over alleged paper leaks and examination-related irregularities featured prominently, with participants stressing the need to protect the future of students who spend years preparing for high-stakes tests.
The fourth demand centred on giving greater attention to issues affecting students and parents. Several participants said educational concerns often receive inadequate attention despite impacting millions of families across the country.
The final demand called for stronger accountability within the education system and greater focus on students’ mental health. Protesters pointed to the stress, anxiety and uncertainty faced by candidates preparing for examinations and recruitment tests, arguing that authorities must take responsibility for ensuring a fair and supportive environment.
During the protest, participants raised slogans such as “Dharmendra Pradhan must resign”, “Dharmendra Pradhan, resign!” and “Jai Bhim”. The CJP accused the government of failing to adequately address concerns linked to the NEET paper leak case, alleged irregularities in CBSE’s on-screen marking system and other examination-related issues.