Indian social activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on Friday, but nationwide student protests demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan continued, keeping pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over a medical entrance exam paper leak scandal.
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The demonstrations, led by the youth-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, stem from allegations that leaked medical school entrance exam papers allowed widespread cheating in an examination taken by around two million students in May. Protesters also link the controversy to several student suicides and are calling for greater accountability within the education system.
Wangchuk announced on social media that he ended his fast after discussions with two federal ministers and appeals from members of parliament, citing concerns over the possibility of violence. He said further details of the negotiations would be shared later.
Despite Wangchuk ending his protest, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke vowed that demonstrations would continue until Pradhan resigns. Protesters called for nationwide rallies on Friday, while opposition parties have backed the movement and disrupted the ongoing monsoon session of parliament.
Authorities tightened security in New Delhi by closing 16 metro stations and suspending mobile internet services in central areas where thousands of protesters gathered. Businesses in Connaught Place also shut early due to security concerns, while demonstrations spread to several other cities, including Kolkata, Pune, Ranchi and Thiruvananthapuram.
Prime Minister Modi urged Wangchuk to recover his health and announced plans to establish special courts to fast-track cases involving examination paper leaks. However, protest leaders dismissed the proposal, arguing that the government must address the root causes behind repeated exam security failures rather than focusing only on prosecution.
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The movement has also received support from prominent Bollywood actors, including Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt and Kareena Kapoor, who praised students for raising their voices. The protests have emerged as one of the largest youth-led challenges to Modi’s government since he took office in 2014.