Time table of NEET UG 2026 paper leak
Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25, ending a three-month standoff between the government and student protesters over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2026 paper. The resignation followed weeks of protests led by a group calling itself the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which began as an internet joke and grew to become one of the most visually appealing youth-led shows in the country.The challenge starts on the day of the exam in May. What followed was a series of events involving the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Supreme Court and, ultimately, thousands of protesters on the streets of Delhi.
CJP Jantar Mantar Exhibition Updates
It all started with a teacher’s comparison of a PDF that was downloaded with the NEET-UG paper, a court statement that led to the opposition party, and ultimately, the minister’s resignation.The events of the last three months are described here.The test is a warningNEET-UG 2026 was conducted on May 3 across the country for admission to MBBS, BDS and allied medical courses. More than 22 lakh candidates appeared, making it the largest medical exam in India.A few days after the exam, a teacher from Rajasthan, Shashikant Suthar, said he had compared the virus “mock paper” with the NEET-UG 2026 paper his students had seen. He found that many questions, especially in Chemistry, were exactly the same. According to his story, he reported the matter to the NTA, the CBI and the Ministry of Education. Officials started internal verification, and the investigation was handed over to the CBI.Cancel and try againOn May 12, the NTA canceled the NEET-UG 2026 after the examiners found a huge discrepancy between the downloaded PDF and the actual paper. The government ordered a CBI probe and announced a nationwide trial against all those involved. This was the first cancellation of NEET-UG since the NTA took over its conduct in 2019. A similar controversy surfaced in NEET-UG 2024, but the exam could not be canceled across the country.Re-examination was conducted on June 21 for candidates whose preliminary examination was cancelled. NTA said that almost all the more than 22 lakh candidates appeared in the new examination.Court comment is a mockeryOn May 16, in an unrelated case of the Supreme Court, Justice Surya Kant’s comments were interpreted on the Internet as an insult to the unemployed youth. The defendants accused him of comparing them to “cockroaches,” although the Court later clarified that the statement was not valid.On the same day, a student posted on social media organized a “Cockroach Janta Party” for angry and unemployed people. The sign quickly went viral on the Internet.On May 22, according to CBI documents and media reports, investigators arrested a school principal in Pune who had worked as an NTA academic. He allegedly wrote down the questions he remembered after the test, shared them with others, and then tried to destroy the evidence.From humor to styleBy late May, a small group of student organizers, including Abhijeet Dipke, had emerged as leaders of a loose group calling itself the CJP. The satire turned into a concerted campaign demanding accountability, exam reform and Pradhan’s resignation.In early June, the CJP held its first protest in Delhi, with Jantar Mantar as the starting point. The group started attracting people who want to prepare for other competitive exams.In late June, Union ministers opened talks with student advocates linked to the CJP. The talks were unsuccessful, with protesters reiterating that Pradhan’s resignation was of no importance.On June 28, activist Sonam Wangchuk visited the protest center and announced a hunger strike with students, which made the movement visible beyond the educational sector.The protests spreadBy early July, the group had spread to many countries. Student groups, opposition leaders and civil society organizations have participated in protests demanding accountability in exams and changes in recruitment exams.On July 20, thousands of protesters attempted to march to Parliament in Delhi. Police stopped the march, using tear gas and batons, and arrested several protesters. Images of the brutality went viral, prompting police to report brutality.On July 21, the police broke up the protest camp overnight. Demonstrators rebuilt within hours. Many returned despite being injured in the previous day’s clashes.Over July 22 and 23, the group continued to grow despite the controls, including restrictions on some of its main social media channels. Student leaders accused government officials of trying to block the campaign, while protests continued in Delhi and other cities.Change announced, protests continueOn July 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced further changes to the exam in a late-night televised video. The measures included fast-track courts and severe punishments for the groups that released the papers. He reiterated that the investigation will continue.The protesters refused to end their agitation. They insisted that it was a ministerial response, not a change in the administration. Management is necessary and appropriate.ResignationOn July 25, Pradhan resigned. He defended the government’s handling of the crisis, referring to the CBI investigation, the cancellation of the May 3 examination and the completion of the re-examination. He promised major reforms to restore faith in national exams.In his resignation letter, Pradhan indicated that the government will try to convert NEET to computer format from 2027, although the details of the process are yet to be announced.At Jantar Mantar, protesters celebrated the resignation. CJP spokespersons met Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and JP Nadda and announced that they would call off the protest from the venue, saying they were assured that their demands would be met.