Student protests over exam leaks spark debate in India

Student-led protests at Jantar Mantar, organized by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), have brought renewed attention to the systemic issue of examination paper leaks in India. While the demonstrations were driven by anger over repeated discrepancies in major entrance exams, they have highlighted a decades-long failure to establish a comprehensive central law to combat organized paper-leak syndicates.

Although the National Policy on Education acknowledged examination malpractices as a threat to academic integrity as early as 1986, a dedicated legal framework did not materialize for decades. It was only following nationwide outrage in 2024 that the government moved toward legislative action.

In the cultural sphere, singer Diljit Dosanjh has drawn comparisons between his new music video, ‘Devil’, and the protests. The video features imagery of protesters facing police lines, which some viewers interpret as a response to previous criticism regarding his refusal to take a political stance on the CJP-led demonstrations. The EP title, ‘I’m an Artist Bro’, mirrors his earlier statement regarding his neutrality during the protests.