LIVE | Pralhad Joshi gets additional charge of education ministry; CJP withdraws protest
CJP requests all protesters to retreat, says govt has promised to provide in writing by Tuesday that no action will be taken against CJP or other protesters
In a huge victory for NEET protesters, Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as the Union education minister on Saturday (July 25), taking moral responsibility for the NEET question paper leak and the subsequent chaos that broke out in the shape of student's protests in Delhi's Jantar Mantar led by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and educationist-activist Sonam Wangchuk, which spread like wildfire across the country.
As the protests intensified, the Union Cabinet approved a draft Bill to ensure stricter punishments â 10 years' jail for paper leaks, fine up to Rs 10 crore â hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement. The draft Bill was approved in a Cabinet meeting chaired by the prime minister at the Parliament House complex on Friday.
Also read: The latest developments LIVE
The Bill seeks an amendment to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 and proposes a minimum punishment of five years' imprisonment for individuals involved in paper leaks and/or a fine. It proposes a jail term of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 10 crore in case of organised paper leaks.
Dipke, Wangchukâs message
As Opposition leaders hailed this âvictory of youth powerâ, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged people not to make him a hero for Pradhanâs resignation. âDonât make me a hero because of Dharmendra Pradhanâs resignation. The country has been ruined because of making one person a hero...â
Dipke also said Pradhanâs stepping down showed that if people decide against bowing down before the Narendra Modi government, they can take the âresignation of anyoneâ. He asked people to raise their voice, which he said would keep the rulers âin lineâ. âToday, they consider themselves as kings while they are there because of us,â Dipke said.
Also read: âDonât make me a hero, country ruined by making one person a heroâ: Dipke after Pradhan quits
Later, the CJP held another round of talks with the government over their other two demands, including a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the families of students who committed suicide in the wake of the NEET examination paper leak in May and an assurance that no legal measures would be taken against the CJP or any protester. The CJP withdrew its protest with immediate effect "in good faith" after the government agreed to meet all demands. The government has agreed to give it in writing on Tuesday.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who ended his 26-day hunger strike after receiving the Centre's written assurances, posted on X: âITâS A VICTORY OF DEMOCRACY⌠direct democracy... straight from the streets. Itâs a victory of peace, patience and perseverance. Congratulations CJP, Gen Z of the nation and thank you all citizens for shedding fear and the fear of fear and rising up from every corner of the nation. FROM ACCOUNTABILITY, NOW TO REFORMS.â
Follow live updates of CJP's protest in Delhi, here.
Live Updates
- 25 July 2026 1:16 PM IST
Jyotika backs students' protest at Jantar Mantar, demands accountability
Actor Jyotika shared a note on her social media on Saturday as she extended support to the protesting students and demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The students, joined by other supporters, have been protesting at Jantar Mantar since June 20, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, reforms to the examination system and justice for students affected by paper leaks.
Jyotika shared a post on her Instagram handle and said she stands with accountability. "Step down Dharmendra Pradhan. Resign. I stand with the students... I stand with accountability. I stand for a democratic India! I stand for reformed education. Sonam Wangchuk. Abhijeet Dipke and Saurav Das, as mothers, we want to raise our children to be like you. Proud of you Gen Z's," she wrote.
"You have proved, together 'WE' are India. Thank you for breaking the pressure. Thank you for making us fearless. CJP. Jyotika,' she added.
- 25 July 2026 1:12 PM IST
Cockroach Janta Party demands Delhi Police end curbs at Jantar Mantar
The Cockroach Janta Party has demanded that the Delhi Police immediately cease and desist from unlawfully detaining, intimidating, or preventing citizens from reaching Jantar Mantar, and stop creating an atmosphere of fear and siege around the protest site.
- 25 July 2026 12:17 PM IST
CJP volunteer Junaid claims police detained his family members, cops deny allegation
A Ghaziabad resident volunteering at the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest against alleged paper leaks at Delhi's Jantar Mantar has alleged that police detained his family members in Ghaziabad and harassed his relatives in Meerut because of his role in the agitation.
Mohammad Junaid, a volunteer providing free food and drinking water to protesters, told media persons at Jantar Mantar on Friday (July 24) that UP Police took away his family members and seized their bank passbooks and PAN cards during a raid at his house.
According to his family, police from Ghaziabad's Masoori police station reached their residence in Nahal village on Thursday evening and searched the premises. They alleged that Junaid's father, Mustafa, was taken away by the police and that bank passbooks and PAN cards belonging to family members were also taken.
Junaid's sister told the media that police asked her father to call Junaid and ask him to return home. Junaid also alleged that the police also harassed his relatives in the neighbouring Meerut district.
However, Meerut Police denied carrying out any action against Junaid's family.
Senior Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey told PTI on Saturday, "No such matter has come to my notice."
Superintendent of Police (City) Vinayak Gopal Bhonsle told PTI that Meerut Police had verified the claims with all police station heads and found that no member of Junaid's family had been detained.
"If any other district's police has taken any action, the details would be available with that district," Bhonsle said.
Social media posts have claimed that Junaid's father and his minor brother were detained and that his sister's father-in-law and brother-in-law in Meerut were also taken into custody.
Senior Ghaziabad police officers could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
- 25 July 2026 12:15 PM IST
No point in talking to goverment if Pradhan is not resigning: CJP
"Dharmendra Pradhanâs resignation is NON-NEGOTIABLE. If itâs a no from the government, thereâs no point of further discussion. (sic)," posts CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka on X ahead of talks with the Union government.
- 25 July 2026 12:12 PM IST
Social media posts claim Jamia students returning from Jantar Mantar detained by police
A number of X posts on Saturday (July 25) claimed that some students of Jamia Millia Islamia were detained by Delhi Police as they were returning from the Jantar Mantar protest site, even as police sources said that verification of around 150 persons detained on Friday night (July 24) was underway.
Several X handles alleged that the students returning to the university after attending the Cockroach Janta Partyâs (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar were picked up by police.
A police source said around 150 people were detained from different locations during security checks on Friday night, and their identities and backgrounds were being verified. It was too early to confirm whether those taken into custody included Jamia students, it said.
According to the source, police are examining the details of each detainee before releasing them. The claims were circulated widely on social media, with users seeking information about those allegedly detained.
Security remained tight across Delhi on Saturday, with police maintaining heavy deployment and carrying out checks in the sensitive areas to prevent any breach of law and order.
- 25 July 2026 12:08 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi: 'Narendra Modi is India's past'
Rahul Gandhi says, "This is the system that is attacking them (students and youth). I told them inside. I said, do not worry. Do not worry. No amount of strength of the entire Indian government, every single person in the Indian government, cannot move you from there (protest site)."
He adds, "Let them (government) do whatever they want. If they want to stop, if they want to threaten, they can do anything... We are not going to step back... They are the future of India. No one can fight them. Narendra Modi is India's past; the past can never fight the future."
- 25 July 2026 11:59 AM IST
Dharmendra Pradhan must be sacked: Rahul
âThere is some talk going on. These days, we receive information from within the government. There is discussion in PM Modi's Cabinet that the solution is to move Dharmendra Pradhan from the Education Ministry to some other ministry. This is not acceptable to the students of IndiaâŚDharmendra Pradhan must be sacked. Period," says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
- 25 July 2026 11:56 AM IST
Rahul Gandhi addresses media in Delhi amid CJP protest
Watch Congress leader Rahul Gandhi speaking to the media in New Delhi.
- 25 July 2026 11:34 AM IST
Wangchuk alleges harassment at Safdarjung before shift to Medanta; hospital clarifies
Activist Sonam Wangchuk released a video on YouTube late Friday night, recounting his experience over the past few days and sharing a clip of what transpired as he was leaving the Safdarjung Hospital after the Delhi High Court allowed him to be shifted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.
However, the Safdarjung Hospital has said that the video was recorded before its administration received the written order of the high court.
Delhi Police on July 18 forcefully shifted Wangchuk to the Safdarjung Hospital from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest site at the Jantar Mantar, where he had been on a hunger strike since June 28 in support of the CJPâs demands for accountability for paper leaks and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhanâs resignation, among others.
He was shifted to Medanta on July 21 following a Delhi High Court direction.
In the video, Wangchuk could be seen getting into a confrontation with a security person at the Safdarjung Hospital, alleging that he was being prevented from leaving the premises.
He can be heard saying that the authorities should either arrest him or allow him to leave.
âYou are harassing me... If I die of stress, it will be your responsibility,â Wangchuk says in the video.
In another part of the clip, he can be heard saying, âArrest me if you want, but I am leaving.â Responding to the video, Safdarjung authorities said it was âpurportedly recorded" by Wangchuk's aides inside the hospital on July 21 in a designated no-videography zone and released only on Friday.
âThe video was reportedly recorded before the hospital administration received the written order of the high court. At that time, Mr Wangchuk insisted on leaving the hospital based on information available in the media.
âIt is pertinent to note that Mr Wangchuk was handed over to the team of doctors from Medanta Gurugram on the same day at 6:40 pm, immediately after the written order was received by the hospital,â they said.
- 25 July 2026 11:08 AM IST
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke diagnosed with typhoid, says agitation will continue
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday said he had been diagnosed with typhoid but vowed that his illness would not slow the movement seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
In a video message shared on social media, Dipke said he had been unwell for the past few days and was currently undergoing treatment.
Despite his illness, he thanked CJP supporters for keeping the protests alive across the country and said that the movement would achieve its objective.
"As you know, I have been unwell for the last few days. The reports are out and I have been diagnosed with typhoid," he said.
Dipke said he was undergoing treatment and receiving intravenous medication.
"The treatment is going on. I am getting IV drips every day. But I want to thank all the cockroaches who are protesting peacefully across the country," he said.
