Modi vows 'stringent punishment' for exam fraud fueling youth-led protests in India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that those involved in exam fraud that has sparked student anger will face "stringent punishment," marking his first direct comments on the protests that have become a major challenge to his government since his re-election in 2024.

Thousands of protesters, led by the social media-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, rallied in New Delhi on Wednesday, triggering fresh clashes with police. The demonstrators, mostly young students, have been demanding the education minister's resignation over exam paper leaks since last month. Tensions escalated on Monday when police used tear gas and baton-charged tens of thousands of protesters as they tried to march to parliament. Protesters responded by throwing stones, making it the largest street protest in the capital in about five years. Police said at least 178 people, including security personnel, were injured in the violence.

In a social media post, Modi promised to set up fast-track courts to punish those responsible for question paper leaks. "Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth," he wrote. "Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared."

The CJP, which has millions of followers on social media, emerged in May as a satirical response to Chief Justice Surya Kant reportedly likening young people to "cockroaches" and "parasites." The movement has since broadened its agenda to include concerns over unemployment, opportunities for young people, and what it describes as Modi's increasingly authoritarian governance style.

A series of exam irregularities have undermined trust in India's testing system, including the leak of a medical entrance question paper that forced more than two million candidates to retake the test. Another dispute involving online marking of exams taken by nearly two million high school students has further fueled public anger.