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Narendra Modi has been forced to address the widespread youth-led protests across India – but has stopped short of meeting their demands for the removal of the country’s education minister.

Thousands of youths flooded the streets of Delhi this week, with more joining from other cities in calling for the dismissal of Dharmendra Pradhan over question paper leaks in some of the most competitive exams for medical colleges and government jobs.

The protests, which began more than a month ago by a youth-led movement called the “Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)”, have caused partial shutdown in Delhi with buses and metro stations closed.

Millions have marched to India’s parliament, expressing their frustration over the exam leaks through slogans, songs, posters, and memes.

Opposition parties have also joined the call for resignation of the federal education minister and an overhaul of the examination system and staged their protests outside the residence of Mr Modi.

The immediate trigger for the demonstrations was the cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), India’s undergraduate medical school entrance exam, after its question papers were found to have been leaked. About two million students across India took the exam on 3 May, but it was later scrapped, ​with about a dozen student suicides linked to its cancellation. A re-test was held in June.

Protesters demand action over exam paper leaks (Reuters)

Mr Modi issued a statement on Thursday, announcing fast-track courts to handle the paper leak cases.

India’s special, fast-track courts are often set up to speed up urgent cases, which otherwise get lost in the country’s notoriously slow justice system.

“Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth! We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard,” Mr Modi said.

“Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared,” Mr Modi claimed. He did not respond to the calls for resignation of the education minister or comment on the protests.

However, his statement was immediately criticised by the “cockroach” movement’s founder Abhijeet Dipke who suggested Mr Modi was still protecting his education minister.

A supporter of India’s Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) rests on a barricade during the ongoing protests (Reuters)

Mr Dipke took a dig at Mr Pradhan by posting a meme captioned, “Hi, my name is nothing”.

The protests, he said, will continue until the education minister takes accountability for the question paper leaks.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of main opposition Congress party, claimed it was the prime minister who harmed the future of the country’s youth the most, demanding his resignation.

Mr Modi’s Hindu majority government has been criticised for their trademark pattern of not bowing to public pressure.

India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi (front 2R) is detained outside Modi’s residence (AFP/Getty)

Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday, Mr Gandhi said he was detained with physical force by the police outside Mr Modi’s residence the day before.

“The police dragged me and took me away, but were whispering in my ear to remove this government,” he claimed. “One said, ‘I am from Rajasthan, inko hataiye (remove them).’ ‘We are just wearing the uniform.’ Another one was saying, ‘I am from Haryana, inko hataiye’.”

It is the first time India is seeing a protest led by the Gen-Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 – and it is one of the biggest crises faced by Mr Modi since he formed his third government in 2024.

India has one of the world’s youngest populations, with millions entering a labour market that has struggled to create enough secure and well-paying jobs for all. Despite years of rapid economic growth, many young people say their prospects have not improved.

As one of the country’s largest voting blocs, India’s youth could also become an increasingly important political force ahead of future elections.