Law & Justice
Indian police fire tear gas at students marching over exam problems
Indian police fired tear gas on Monday, 20 July 2026, to stop thousands of protesters from marching on parliament in New Delhi. The protesters, most of them young students, were demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and wider reforms to India's examination system.
The demonstrators gathered at the Jantar Mantar protest site in central New Delhi. Reporters at the scene saw tear gas shells fired at protesters, who responded by throwing stones. Witnesses said dozens of protesters and police personnel were injured.
Delhi Police urged protesters to show restraint and avoid unlawful or violent activity. Police said the protest had not been authorised. The internet was cut in parts of central New Delhi during the demonstration.
The protesters are angry over exam irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical problems. They gathered despite monsoon rain and heavy police barricades in what the source described as one of the capital's biggest demonstrations in around five years.
Sumit Kumar, an 18-year-old protester, said the country deserved a government that listened to young people and corrected its mistakes. He said the future belonged to young people, not politicians.
The protest followed the forced transfer to hospital on Saturday of activist Sonam Wangchuk, ending his 20-day hunger strike in support of the movement launched by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP. Wangchuk later said he would resume his hunger strike in hospital after seeing what he described as the brutality used against peacefully protesting students.
The CJP criticised the use of tear gas in a post on X, saying the government had ignored the protest for a month and was now attacking people who were marching peacefully. The movement has gained millions of social media followers since it began in May and has become one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he won a third term in 2024.
Modi did not mention the protesters in a public address before the start of parliament's monsoon session on Monday. Rahul Gandhi of the opposition Congress party accused Modi of trying to silence young people who were raising legitimate questions about the education system. Opposition members also shouted slogans in the lower house of parliament demanding justice for students.
The source says discontent has been fuelled by difficulty finding stable, well-paid jobs despite rapid economic growth. It says 2.2 million aspiring medical students took a re-examination under tight security last month after an earlier test was scrapped following a question paper leak. Another scandal involved the online marking system for tests taken by nearly two million high school students.
Two CJP leaders met senior minister JP Nadda on Monday and submitted a letter setting out their demands. The demands included compensation of 10 million rupees, or $104,000, for the families of each student who reportedly took their own life after the medical paper leak.
Shubhi Rao, 16, said she joined the protest to demand government accountability. Smaller protests were also held in Mumbai and Goa. CJP spokesman Saurav Das said the party had not yet heard from the government about its demands and that the Jantar Mantar protest would continue.
Update
Witnesses said dozens of protesters and police personnel were injured in clashes.
Delhi Police urged protesters to exercise restraint and said the protest was not authorised.
The internet was cut in parts of central New Delhi during the protest.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk said he would resume his hunger strike in hospital after seeing how students were treated.
Two Cockroach Janta Party leaders met senior minister JP Nadda and submitted demands, including compensation for families of students who reportedly died by suicide after the medical paper leak.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to silence young people raising questions about the education system.
Opposition members chanted slogans in the lower house of parliament, and smaller protests were held in Mumbai and Goa.
A CJP spokesman said the protest at Jantar Mantar was expected to continue on Tuesday.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 15:38:04 UTC.
Update
The protest drew thousands of mostly young students to Jantar Mantar and was described as one of New Delhi's biggest demonstrations in about five years.
The internet was cut in parts of central New Delhi during the protest, which police said they had not authorised.
Delhi Police urged protesters to show restraint and avoid unlawful or violent activity.
The rally followed activist Sonam Wangchuk being taken to hospital on Saturday, ending a 20-day hunger strike in support of the movement.
Cockroach Janta Party leaders met senior minister JP Nadda and submitted a letter of demands; Nadda said the meeting was cordial.
Opposition Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue in the upper house of parliament, and opposition members chanted slogans in the lower house.
The source added context on recent exam scandals, including a medical entrance re-examination involving about 2.2 million students and an online marking controversy involving nearly two million high school students.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 13:46:31 UTC.
Update
Police baton-charged protesters as well as firing tear gas near Jantar Mantar.
Protesters demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam irregularities, including paper leaks and technical glitches.
Thousands gathered from early Monday despite rain and police barricades, in what the source described as one of the biggest demonstrations in the capital for five years.
The protest followed activist Sonam Wangchuk being forcibly taken to hospital on Saturday, ending a 20-day hunger strike supporting youths and the Cockroach Janta Party movement.
The Cockroach Janta Party has gained millions of social media followers since its launch in May, according to the source.
The Internet was cut in parts of central New Delhi, and police said they had not permitted the protest.
The Cockroach Janta Party said two of its leaders met a senior minister and submitted demands after a government approach.
Opposition lawmakers raised the protest in parliament and demanded the education minister's resignation.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 09:18:00 UTC.
Update
An AFP journalist saw police firing tear gas shells near Jantar Mantar.
The protesters were mostly young students.
The protesters were demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The alleged exam irregularities included question paper leaks and technical glitches.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 08:32:34 UTC.
Update
Indian police fired tear gas at exam protesters in the capital.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 08:25:06 UTC.
Update
Thousands of protesters gathered from early Monday despite monsoon drizzle and police barricades.
Protesters demanded Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged examination irregularities, including paper leaks and technical glitches.
Prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to hospital on Saturday, ending a 20-day hunger strike in support of youths and the Cockroach Janta Party movement.
The Cockroach Janta Party said on X that police should stand down and accused the government of trying to crush a peaceful democratic protest.
Internet service was cut in parts of central New Delhi, and police said the protesters lacked permission to hold the protest.
Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue in the upper house of parliament, and opposition lawmakers shouted slogans in the lower house.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 06:59:15 UTC.
Update
The protest took place in New Delhi near the Jantar Mantar protest site.
The protesters were trying to march to parliament on Monday.
The protest was over irregularities in major examinations, including question paper leaks and technical glitches.
Protesters demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
An AFP journalist saw protesters duck for cover as police in blue riot gear charged at them.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 05:50:05 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The exact number of injured protesters and police personnel was not confirmed in the source.
The source says some students reportedly took their own lives after the medical paper leak, but does not independently confirm each case.
Source
AFP news report published on .