Gen Z Protests Rock New Delhi After Massive Exam Paper Leaks — Students Demand Accountability

Thousands of mainly Gen Z demonstrators have gathered in New Delhi to protest a string of examination paper leaks that forced more than two million candidates to retake tests. The rallies continued Thursday despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pledge to crack down, and have become one of the most significant political challenges to his government since his re-election in 2024.

At the main encampment in the capital, five young protesters spoke to AFP about what drew them to a movement that began online with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and quickly expanded into a broader public outcry over trust, fairness and governance.

'Speak Up'

Madhu, 21, said the medical entrance exam leak — which forced a massive retest — "was the spark" and that the CJP provided a platform for people to protest. "The paper leak was the spark and the CJP provided a platform for people to protest," she said, adding the demonstrations have become a place to discuss issues from unemployment to a perceived erosion of freedom of expression under the current government.

Speaking with her face covered by a surgical mask and giving only her first name because her parents feared for her safety, Madhu said the protests are rooted in "years of repressed frustration." "Sometimes you have to overcome your own fears," she added while helping tidy the protest site.

'Just Sack Him'

Aarohi Singh, 23, arrived from Lucknow with no return ticket and few belongings, a trip she undertook with her family's blessing. Her younger sister was forced to resit the medical entrance exam and failed to pass after the leak.

"I know how much money my parents spent on her preparation, but after the paper leaked she was demoralised and broken," Singh said. She and many others demand the education minister be dismissed. "Why can't the prime minister just sack him?" she asked.

'Demand Accountability'

Sahil, 28, a corporate employee who asked to be identified by one name, has attended the protest daily since calling in sick. He coordinated hundreds of food deliveries from supporters around the country and said he joined because he could empathize with affected students. "I am here to demand accountability," he said, noting the movement has broadened beyond education to include many citizens' grievances.

'Hope'

Kunal Suryavanshi, 17, an engineering student from Madhya Pradesh, described the protests as a rare space for young people to speak out. "We live in a deeply unequal country where every protest is crushed with brute force," he said, explaining he planned to stay in the capital and sleep where he could — at a nearby Sikh temple or on the pavement. "All I have brought with me is hope."

'Broken' System

Yuvraj, 24, training to be a lawyer in Punjab and wearing a Spiderman mask, expressed anger at what he called a surveillance state and a system that appears compromised. He said a government job exam he had prepared for was also found to be tainted. "You prepare for years for an exam only for the paper to be leaked, and then you're told to try again next time," he said. "It is just not acceptable. There has to be some accountability."

Protesters call for concrete reforms, transparent investigations and the sacking of officials they hold responsible. While authorities emphasize law and order, demonstrators insist that accountability and institutional reform are necessary to restore public trust.