Amid the ongoing controversy over the alleged NEET exam paper leak, thousands of students and young people held a large-scale protest at Savitribai Phule Pune University on Thursday, calling for the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on moral grounds.
The protest, organized under the banner of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), echoed across the university campus with slogans condemning alleged corruption in the education system. Led by social activists Sonam Wangchuk and Abhijit Deepke, the demonstration also called for compensation for students affected by examination irregularities and demanded stronger accountability within the education sector.
The demonstration started at about 4 p.m. near the B. R. Ambedkar statue on the university campus. In addition to students, many senior citizens and individuals from Pune’s social and educational spheres joined the protest. Social activists Vishwambhar Choudhary and Asim Sarode were among those who came forward to support the students.
Demonstrators held signs bearing slogans like “Paper Leak Government,” “Leak in India,” “Our Future, Our Right,” and “Education for All, Employment for All.Speaking to the audience, Sonam Wangchuk said the government needs to treat education and environmental issues with utmost seriousness. He stressed that truth and non-violence continue to be the way forward for creating a genuinely developed India. Wangchuk clarified that the movement is not aimed at any specific government, but is instead calling for a system that responds responsibly to the concerns of the people.
Addressing the gathering, Abhijeet Dipke condemned comments attributed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had allegedly accused the demonstrators of causing disorder. Dipke contended that advocating for constitutional rights and drawing on the legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar should not be labeled as anarchy. He added that the younger generation would not be influenced by politics rooted in religious or communal polarization.
Students should receive compensation of ₹10,000 if an examination paper leak occurs.
The examination process should undergo strict auditing, and contracts should not be awarded to relatives of ministers.
Examination results should be declared within a fixed and stipulated timeframe.
The government should bear students’ travel expenses to and from examination centres.
The map of the Hindavi Swarajya of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which was reportedly removed from NCERT textbooks, should be reinstated.
The demonstration ended with attendees pledging to persist in their efforts to secure transparency, accountability, and reforms within the education system.