India exam leak bill clears parliament after protests

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India's upper house passed the exam leak bill on Thursday.

The bill has now passed both houses of parliament and must be signed by President Droupadi Murmu to become law.

The Rajya Sabha approved the bill by voice vote after several hours of discussion.

Jitendra Singh told the upper house that every parent, family and citizen had a stake in the issue.

Source note: AFP news report published on 30 July 2026 at 16:50:50 UTC.

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the bill includes stricter punishments, Special Fast Track Courts, time-bound investigations, Special Public Prosecutors and an expedited appellate mechanism.

Senior minister Jitendra Singh told parliament the amendments reflected a commitment to safeguard students and young people.

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke accused the government of reneging on a promise not to investigate protesters and warned of renewed street protests.

Source note: AFP news report published on 29 July 2026 at 12:07:44 UTC.

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India's lower house approved the bill by a voice vote after a raucous, hours-long debate, according to India's public broadcaster.

The bill will next go to the upper house, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling alliance holds a majority.

Rahul Gandhi said political parties should respect the expression of frustration by young people over the education system.

Source note: AFP news report published on 29 July 2026 at 11:01:53 UTC.

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India's lower house passed the bill raising penalties for examination paper leaks.

Source note: AFP news report published on 29 July 2026 at 10:13:36 UTC.

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Parliament adjourned the sitting until Wednesday after a heated 12-hour debate.

Opposition lawmakers called for broader systemic changes to the examination system, including comments by Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor.

Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 18:17:04 UTC.

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Opposition lawmaker Abhishek Banerjee accused the government during the lower house debate of involvement in repeated paper leaks and failing to apply the existing law effectively.

The Cockroach Janta Party said the Supreme Court's interim order still allowed some cases and investigations against protesters to continue.

The Cockroach Janta Party warned it could resume nationwide protests if the government did not uphold a commitment not to try anyone over the demonstrations.

Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 15:15:28 UTC.

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India’s government proposed legal changes to double the maximum prison term for exam paper leaks to 10 years.

The proposed changes would allow fines exceeding $1 million and fast-track court proceedings.

Senior minister Jitendra Singh presented the amendments to the lower house of parliament.

The Supreme Court ordered the release of detained protesters under 18 who have no prior criminal record.

The protests culminated in the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan last week.

Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 10:19:27 UTC.

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Leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party said they would meet the government on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his cabinet would discuss measures on Friday to speed up court proceedings against people involved in examination leaks.

Modi said draft legislation would be given its final shape after cabinet suggestions and that the government would try to have the bill introduced and passed as soon as possible.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike late Thursday after saying the government gave assurances about peaceful demonstrators and a parliamentary debate.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the movement would continue until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.

Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 05:22:35 UTC.

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Modi said the government was working on measures to fast-track court proceedings against people involved in the leaks and said the issue would be discussed by the cabinet on Friday.

A late-night government notification announced the transfer of a senior education ministry bureaucrat to another department as part of a wider reshuffle.

Human Rights Watch urged India to investigate alleged unnecessary and excessive police force, allow peaceful protests and stop suspending mobile internet services.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk said he had ended a hunger strike begun on June 28 after negotiations and to avert possible violence.

Students in Bangladesh held a torch rally in solidarity with the New Delhi protesters.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 19:56:51 UTC.

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Modi said in a social media post that nothing was more important than the welfare and future of young people and promised fast-track courts for people involved in leaks.

The post did not mention Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, whose resignation is a main demand of protesters.

The Cockroach Janta Party said it would continue its campaign to fix the system and set accountability.

Jantar Mantar saw unrest during the week, including late-night clashes with police on Wednesday after crowds spilled into nearby streets.

Human Rights Watch urged the government to investigate alleged unnecessary and excessive force, allow peaceful protests and stop suspending mobile internet services.

Students in Bangladesh held a torch rally to support the Delhi protesters.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 16:27:57 UTC.

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Modi said on social media that fast-track courts would be set up to punish people involved in exam-paper leaks.

The source says Modi did not mention Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, whose resignation is a main protest demand.

CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka said fast-track courts would not solve systemic education problems and called for Pradhan's removal.

The Jantar Mantar protest site saw unrest during the week, including late-night clashes on Wednesday and police use of tear gas and baton charges on Monday.

Human Rights Watch urged the government to investigate what it called unnecessary and excessive force, allow peaceful protests and stop suspending mobile internet services.

Opposition parties have backed the protest movement, disrupted parliament proceedings and demanded an apology from Modi over Monday's police action.

Students in Bangladesh called for a torch rally in solidarity.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 12:28:19 UTC.

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Student protests demanding education reforms grew on Thursday despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing a crackdown after exam paper leaks.

Five protesters at the main protest site in New Delhi described why they joined the movement initiated by the online Cockroach Janta Party.

Protesters described the movement as expanding from anger over exam leaks into broader complaints about unemployment, freedom of expression and accountability.

The source gives individual accounts from Madhu, Aarohi Singh, Sahil, Kunal Suryavanshi and Yuvraj.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 11:25:48 UTC.

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Thousands of protesters led by the Cockroach Janta Party movement rallied in New Delhi on Wednesday, with fresh clashes outside Jantar Mantar.

Police said at least 178 people, including security personnel, were injured in violence linked to Monday's protest.

The CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka said Delhi Police cracked down heavily, shut down the internet and brutally thrashed people; Delhi Police said protesters attacked officers with stones and plastic bottles, causing serious injuries.

Opposition parties have disrupted parliament proceedings and demanded an apology from Modi over Monday's police action.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of harming young people's future and protecting those responsible for damage to the education system.

Smaller demonstrations took place in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Patna, and students in Bangladesh called for a torch rally in solidarity with Delhi protesters.

The protests were linked to exam irregularities, including a leaked medical entrance paper that forced more than two million candidates to retake a test and a dispute over online marking for nearly two million high school students.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 10:20:39 UTC.

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Modi promised fast-track courts for people involved in question paper leaks.

Thousands of protesters rallied in New Delhi on Wednesday, leading to fresh clashes with police.

Police said at least 178 people, including security personnel, were injured in violence linked to Monday's protests.

The protest movement spread to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Patna, and students in Bangladesh called for a solidarity torch rally.

The source gives additional context on the Cockroach Janta Party movement and recent exam irregularities.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 05:40:22 UTC.

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Thousands of protesters led by the Cockroach Janta Party movement rallied in New Delhi on Wednesday, with fresh clashes with police.

Protests escalated on Monday when police fired tear gas and baton-charged demonstrators trying to march to parliament on the opening day of the monsoon session.

Police said at least 178 people, including security personnel, were injured in the violence.

The CJP movement emerged in May after Chief Justice Surya Kant reportedly likened young people to cockroaches and parasites during a court hearing.

The movement has broadened its agenda to include unemployment, youth opportunities and what it describes as Modi's increasingly authoritarian style of governance.

The source cites exam irregularities including a leaked medical entrance question paper that forced more than two million candidates to retake the test, and a dispute over online marking for nearly two million high school students.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 04:32:30 UTC.

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Modi said nothing was more important than the welfare and future of young people.

Modi promised to set up fast-track courts to punish those involved in question paper leaks.

The source describes the remarks as Modi's first direct comments tied to major protests challenging his government.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 03:56:20 UTC.

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Modi vowed to punish exam fraud.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 03:45:09 UTC.

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Crowds at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi grew to several thousand people on Wednesday, according to AFP correspondents.

Smaller demonstrations took place in major cities including Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Police used tear gas and water cannons at a rally in Patna, according to the Press Trust of India.

Rahul Gandhi appeared in parliament dressed in black on Wednesday and demanded government accountability.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government remained committed to reform and to discussing the issue in parliament.

The source described specific exam controversies, including a leaked medical entrance examination paper and an online marking dispute affecting high school students.

Source note: AFP news report published on 22 July 2026 at 13:45:04 UTC.

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Crowds at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi had grown to several thousand people on Wednesday, according to AFP correspondents.

Opposition parties supported the movement, including a sit-in outside the prime minister's residence on Tuesday and protests in parliament premises on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi appeared in parliament dressed in black after being briefly detained on Tuesday and demanded accountability from the government.

India's Supreme Court refused on Wednesday to hear a petition alleging police brutality against protesters.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan made his first public comments since Monday's protests, saying the government was committed to reform and discussion in parliament.

Smaller protests were also being held in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Goa.

Source note: AFP news report published on 22 July 2026 at 10:21:00 UTC.

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The Cockroach Janta Party movement was launched in May by 30-year-old public relations graduate Abhijeet Dipke and has gained millions of social media followers.

The unrest began after a leaked medical entrance examination paper forced more than two million candidates to retake the test.

Protesters are demanding 10 million rupees, or $104,000, in compensation for families of around 20 students who reportedly took their own lives after the medical exam leak.

The movement has expanded its agenda to include unemployment, youth opportunities and protesters' concerns about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's style of governance.

Opposition parties are calling for the resignation of Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and accuse them of allowing police to use excessive force against students.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Tuesday the government remained committed to reform and accountability.

Modi has not spoken publicly about the protests, but a cabinet minister said he had promised strong steps to protect students' interests.

The source adds that smaller protests have been held in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Goa.

Police said at least 178 people were injured in Monday's New Delhi protest, including 118 security personnel; protesters claimed hundreds of demonstrators were injured.

Analysts quoted by the source said the protests could become a serious problem for the government if they continue.

Source note: AFP news report published on 22 July 2026 at 08:25:44 UTC.

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Delhi Police said at least 178 people were injured in Monday's clashes, including 118 police personnel and around 60 protesters.

Delhi Police criticised what it called unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour by a violent mob.

Protest organisers said hundreds of protesters had been injured and condemned the authorities' high-handedness.

CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka said the government had not responded to the protesters' demands after he met senior minister JP Nadda on Monday.

Opposition lawmakers demanded a discussion in parliament on alleged brutality against students.

Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said the government had acted swiftly after paper leaks by arresting several people.

Kiren Rijiju said Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a foolproof system to prevent future irregularities at a closed-door meeting with allies.

The source says Modi had not directly commented on the protests.

Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 09:32:05 UTC.

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Hundreds of protesters remained at the Jantar Mantar protest site on Tuesday.

Police fired tear gas and baton-charged protesters on Monday to stop them marching to parliament.

Delhi Police said at least 178 people were injured, including 118 police personnel and around 60 protesters.

Delhi Police described the protesters' behaviour as unruly, aggressive and violent.

Protest organisers condemned what they called the authorities' high-handedness and said hundreds of protesters were injured.

Ashutosh Ranka said he met senior minister JP Nadda on Monday and that the government had not yet responded to the movement's demands.

The protests follow examination scandals, including a medical entrance re-examination after a leaked question paper and another scandal involving online marking for high school tests.

Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 05:48:47 UTC.

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The movement named Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as the official it wants to resign.

Ashutosh Ranka of the Cockroach Janta Party said the campaign would not stop and that Pradhan had to be sacked.

About 180 people were injured the previous day in what the source described as the biggest protest in New Delhi in around five years.

Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 05:23:41 UTC.