‘Now or never’: Students defy Delhi lockdown to march on India’s parliament - Al Jazeera

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that thousands of mostly young protesters gathered in central New Delhi on Monday, July 20, 2026, attempting to march toward India’s parliament despite heavy security restrictions. The demonstration was called by the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, a fast-growing youth-led movement, and focused on demands for accountability and broad education reforms after alleged leaks in India’s National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, the key entrance exam for undergraduate medical courses.

According to Al Jazeera, students at the Jantar Mantar protest site demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after the government confirmed exam irregularities that forced retests for aspirants. The report says roughly two million candidates take the exam annually. Protesters also referred to reports of student suicides following the scandal, while describing the march as a rare chance to press for change in India’s education system.

Authorities shut some metro stations, set up road barricades and restricted internet access in parts of central Delhi, Al Jazeera reported. Police urged demonstrators to disperse, citing overcrowding at the protest site. As protesters moved forward, police used batons and tear gas, and several people were taken away in police vans. Al Jazeera also reported that activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on hunger strike in solidarity with the movement, was removed from Jantar Mantar two days earlier and taken to hospital.

The report says the CJP began as a parody social media account but rapidly gained a large following. Its spokesperson said the government had reached out for talks, inviting two activists to meet Health Minister JP Nadda. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the protests reflect wider concerns over education, jobs and inequality, though they cautioned that a quick resolution was uncertain.