At Jantar Mantar, anger over leaks, but also anxiety over jobs, inflation

What began with ‘following’ and ‘liking’ the online satirical platform ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ (CJP), launched on May 16, on Saturday transformed into a major street mobilisation at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Triggered by irregularities in examinations such as the NEET-UG, the gathering brought together thousands — students, parents, working professionals and people whose concerns stretched well beyond medical entrance tests.

For many who stood with placards demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in the scorching June heat, it was their first protest.

Near the entrance of Jantar Mantar, under the shade of a tree, stood a 16-year-old NEET aspirant clutching a Class 12 chemistry book and wearing a ‘cockroach’ mask. Beside her was her elder sister, Zainab.

The sisters had moved from Gaya in Bihar to a single room in Mukherjee Nagar to prepare for the exam.

Zainab, who appeared with her sister for the May 3 exam – her second attempt at NEET – said she would not sit for the re-test on June 21.

“Our parents cannot afford years of coaching. The fees are very high,” she said.

Story continues below this ad

Her sister, however, will. “Only 15 days are left for the re-test,” she said.

She had been satisfied with her first attempt. “I thought my paper went well. I am preparing again, but what is the guarantee that the paper won’t leak again?” she asked.

Many others, who were joining such a protest for the first time, had travelled overnight to be at Jantar Mantar.

Vidya Kant Chaturvedi (23) had come all the way from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh to demonstrate that the youth were the “responsible ones” in the country. Since finishing school in 2021, he has appeared for several competitive examinations, including NEET, and is now pursuing an MSc, Chaturvedi said.

Story continues below this ad

“My family wanted a doctor. I couldn’t clear NEET, but my younger brother appeared for NEET-UG in 2024, which also saw many irregularities. He is bright, but our dream remained unfulfilled,” he said.

Sanjeev Kumar (23) had arrived from Jaunpur by train. His brother had last year appeared for the UP Police examination, which allegedly also saw a paper leak.

“There is no accountability. We don’t even know whether my sister should prepare for NEET. Coaching is expensive. What if there is again a paper leak in her year,” he said.

But not everyone at Jantar Mantar had a connection to NEET.

Story continues below this ad

Some came because they were frustrated with stagnant salaries and rising fees. Others came to make sure their children knew what their future looked like.

Apoorva Jyotwani (43), from Tagore Garden, was at Jantar Mantar with his 11-year-old son.

“Students are becoming suicidal and parents are suffering too, so he should know what kind of country we are living in and what his future could look like four or five years from now,” he said.

Mukesh Kumar (28), a college dropout, works at an automobile manufacturing unit in Jahangirpuri for Rs 15,000 a month. He had to abandon studying for a Bachelor’s degree after his father fell ill and the family needed another earning member.

Story continues below this ad

“While the children of politicians study in luxurious private schools and get comfortable government jobs, we struggle in government schools and get badly paid private jobs,” he said.

After dropping out of college, he did odd jobs at call centres and other places before finally landing a job at the factory.

Azaan Ali (28), was upset about stagnant wages that haven’t kept up with rising inflation. Ali said he had been working in the hotel management field for the last eight years at the same salary of Rs 22,000.

“I work at a hotel in Mahipalpur. The hotels in my area have been closed after the fire that broke out in a Malviya Nagar B&B on June 3. When we asked them if we would be paid for the days when the hotel stayed shut, the hotel authorities said they did not know,” Ali said.

Story continues below this ad

Stagnant wages was a concern also raised by graduates from some of India’s top institutes who too were present at Jantar Mantar.

“Placements have been getting worse over the years, and salaries are also much lower. We are getting offers from sales and marketing companies,” said Shourya Gupta (28), who recently graduated with an MBA from IIT Delhi.

Abishek Dhakad (31), who travelled from Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha to Delhi to attend the protest, said he had to resort to running a small shop even after completing his Masters, as he was unable to find a job.

Another protester, Ayush (20) – currently pursuing a BTech degree from Harcourt Butler Technical University in Kanpur – expressed uncertainty about his future.

Story continues below this ad

“Placement season at my college this year has been sub-par, with only a couple of students landing job offers,” he said.

Ashutosh Maurya (33), a grocery shopowner, has come all the way from Jaunpur to support the CJP. “I don’t even use social media that much. I just found their reason to protest good enough to come here. Children come and live in cramped rooms to prepare for exams and then papers get leaked.”

Ajmer Singh (52) from Sonipat had been camping in Delhi since Friday. “I have four children. Three of them are in college. School and college students make up a large percentage of our population. I have come because the protest is for these young people,” he said.

The protest also saw senior citizens.

Usha Devi (65) had come from Trilokpuri. “I don’t need my children to sit for NEET to know what students are going through. Everyone here is the same age as my children. I can still walk and talk. So, I will do my bit,” she said.