A day after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) withdrew its nationwide agitation over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman defended the Centre’s handling of the protests, saying the government had “never tried at any point in time to stop the protest.”
Speaking during a conversation with NDTV Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal at the NDTV Business Leadership Awards 2026, Sitharaman said the Centre respected students’ democratic right to protest while simultaneously ensuring that nearly two million aspirants did not lose an academic year because of the examination controversy.
Her remarks come after weeks of nationwide demonstrations demanding accountability over the alleged paper leak, systemic reforms in public examinations and the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
While the government has maintained that it acted responsibly by conducting a timely re-examination and preserving the academic calendar, protesters argued that the crisis exposed deeper concerns about examination integrity and institutional accountability.
The agitation formally ended after Pradhan resigned and the Centre agreed in principle to several demands raised by the protest leaders, including action on compensation and withdrawal of cases against peaceful demonstrators.
Respecting Democratic Dissent
Responding to suggestions that the protests had caught the government off guard, Sitharaman said the Centre had neither discouraged nor obstructed demonstrations by students. “Give respect to the protest. We have not stopped them from protesting.
The permission was given… We didn’t try at any point in time to stop the protest,” she said, adding that student activism has always been an important feature of democratic societies. Drawing on her own experience as a student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), she remarked that every generation of young people is moved by issues they perceive as unjust and therefore chooses to raise its voice.
“I’m not undermining what happened in the last couple of weeks,” she said, adding that young people naturally seek “good, responsive, correct measures” and timely action from governments. Sitharaman also defended the Centre’s administrative response, saying authorities had to balance two priorities after the paper leak surfaced bringing those responsible to justice while ensuring that students did not lose an entire academic year.
According to her, the government prioritised conducting the NEET re-examination, announcing results on schedule and then addressing political accountability. She credited Dharmendra Pradhan and officials in the Education Ministry for ensuring that the examination process was completed before his resignation, arguing that delaying the re-examination would have been irresponsible for millions of students awaiting admissions.
Movement That Reshaped The Debate
The Finance Minister’s remarks come at the end of one of the country’s largest youth-led movements in recent years. What began as outrage over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak gradually evolved into a nationwide campaign demanding greater transparency in public examinations, accountability from institutions and ministerial responsibility.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), initially emerging as a satirical political collective, became the face of the movement through sustained demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, social media campaigns, public meetings and marches across several cities.
Over the course of the agitation, the movement expanded beyond calls for a re-examination to include demands for stronger anti-paper leak legislation, reforms in examination systems, compensation for affected families, withdrawal of cases against peaceful protesters and the resignation of the Education Minister.
The Centre eventually accepted the group’s primary demand after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Cabinet. Following discussions with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, CJP leaders announced the immediate withdrawal of the agitation, calling on supporters to return home peacefully.
While the government has projected the resolution as evidence of democratic engagement and responsive governance, critics argue that the scale of the protests reflected growing public concerns over institutional trust, examination security and the need for long-term reforms.
The movement also demonstrated the growing influence of digital platforms, with social media, livestreams and online communities playing a significant role in mobilising students and sustaining public attention throughout the protests.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The end of the NEET agitation marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in one of India’s most prominent youth-led democratic movements, but it should not mark the end of conversations around examination reforms. Nirmala Sitharaman’s acknowledgement that young people have the right to protest reinforces an important democratic principle that peaceful dissent deserves respect, not suspicion.
Equally, the government’s emphasis on protecting students’ academic calendar highlights the difficult balance policymakers must strike during crises affecting millions of aspirants. The developments that followed including the resignation of the Education Minister and assurances on key demands underscore how sustained, peaceful civic engagement can influence public policy.
Also read: Madhya Pradesh High Court Sets Up Four Special Fast-Track Courts for Exam Paper Leak Cases
