India's Modi under pressure as youth protest leaders set for more talks
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- Modi's government prepared for Saturday talks with Gen-Z protest leaders demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation — described in the source as the biggest youth challenge to the PM since 2014
- Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) rallied thousands of supporters in central Delhi despite authorities closing 18 metro stations for a fourth straight day; spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka demanded a "yes or no answer" on Pradhan's future
- The protests were triggered by leaks of medical-school entrance exam papers that forced more than 2 million candidates to retake tests, exposing flaws in the exam system
- At Friday's talks, CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka warned federal ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh the movement could spread nationwide unless Pradhan stepped down
- Activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike on Friday, raising hopes for a breakthrough before Saturday's round
- Police cracked down Monday with baton charges and tear gas on tens of thousands of students marching on parliament, injuring many — the government then extended a mobile internet shutdown in the area for a fifth straight day Saturday
- Opposition parties echoed the protesters' demands and disrupted parliament's monsoon session that began this week
Why it matters: A Gen-Z movement fueled by exam-system corruption has grown into Modi's most serious youth challenge in over a decade, with opposition parties amplifying the pressure and internet shutdowns and metro closures signaling a security-first government response to a 2-million-student grievance over exam integrity.
