‘Won’t back down’: Indian student protesters return after police crackdown
Indian student protesters returned to demonstrations in New Delhi after a police crackdown on Monday that injured more than 100 demonstrators. The students are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over a series of compromised entrance exams that have affected millions of students and led to over 20 suicides.
New Delhi experienced significant civil unrest on Monday as thousands of students marched toward parliament to protest examination irregularities and demand accountability from the government. Police responded with tear gas and physical force, resulting in injuries to more than 100 demonstrators. The crackdown left visible marks across Parliament Street and Connaught Place, with scattered debris and evidence of the confrontation remaining visible afterward.
The protests stem from widespread anger among India's youth population over compromised entrance examinations conducted over the past two months. Multiple exam administration failures have been documented, including leaked question papers and incorrectly graded answer scripts. The examination failures have had tragic consequences, with more than 20 students reportedly taking their own lives in connection with the exam controversies. Students and protest organizers have specifically called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, viewing him as responsible for the failures.
Despite the police response, protest organizers indicated their intention to continue demonstrations. Abhijeet Dipke, leader of the Cockroach Janta Party, a political pressure group that organized the march, addressed remaining protesters after dark and pledged continued resistance until the education minister resigned. Participants expressed frustration with what they characterized as government indifference and heavy-handed law enforcement tactics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not publicly address the protests, though he was present in parliament during the demonstrations.
Analysts noted that while the student movement faces substantial challenges in extracting concessions from the government, the crackdown and official response have reinforced criticism that the prime minister, despite being democratically elected, governs with authoritarian methods. The protests reflect broader discontent among India's large Gen Z population over governance and institutional accountability.
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