Suggested caption: Protesters clash with police during a march toward Parliament, New Delhi, July 23, 2026.

For days, the heart of India's capital has been gripped by its largest wave of protests in years, as young demonstrators — many from Gen Z — demand an overhaul of a national exam system they say has failed millions of students.

Earlier this week, protesters attempting to march on Parliament were met with tear gas, batons, and baton charges from police. According to CNN, roughly 150 protesters were hospitalized following Monday's crackdown, per organizers from the party leading the movement, while Delhi Police said 118 of its own officers were injured during what it called "violent protests." CNN also reported that footage of the crackdown spread widely only after a government-ordered internet shutdown lifted, fueling public anger once it surfaced.

Police had declared Monday's march unlawful under prohibitory orders issued in advance. A day later, protesters — some still showing injuries from the clash — returned to Jantar Mantar, the centuries-old observatory grounds that has become the movement's headquarters, and rebuilt the camp police had torn down.

[IMAGE 2 — suggested placement: after intro, before "We will stand here with pride" section] Suggested caption: Injured protesters gather at the rebuilt camp at Jantar Mantar, July 21, 2026.

"We will stand here with pride"

Defiance ran high at the rebuilt camp. Sudhir Kumar, who attended Monday's rally and told CNN he witnessed protesters being struck by police, said the protest was fundamentally about education. Kumar said he had spent a year preparing for a prestigious medical school entrance exam, only to learn the paper had been leaked.

"What we face when you prepare for the whole year and at D-Day you hear it's rigged," he told CNN.

Mohammad Taj, who traveled from neighboring Haryana and sustained visible facial bruising in the crackdown, told CNN the march toward Parliament had been peaceful until police suddenly turned on the crowd. "But just in a flash, I don't know what happened, the police started hitting us with batons. Kids, women, old men, they hit everyone," he said.

By evening, crowds had swelled beyond the site, spilling into surrounding streets, chanting "Whenever Modi is scared, he brings out the police" and calling for "freedom."

[IMAGE 3 — suggested placement: mid-article, before CJP background section] Suggested caption: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke during a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar, July 21, 2026.

From joke to political force

Monday's march was organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led movement that, per CNN's reporting, began as a joke but has grown into a serious political force channeling the frustrations of young Indians facing high unemployment. The party was founded by Boston University graduate Abhijeet Dipke after India's chief justice made remarks in May that many interpreted as referring to unemployed youth as "cockroaches" — comments widely seen as insensitive given the country's persistent youth unemployment.

The CJP has led recent protests over allegations that entrance exam papers for competitive medical schools were leaked and sold, forcing millions of students to retake the exam — the latest in a string of controversies, including leaks and technical failures, that CNN notes have long plagued India's exam system.

Tensions escalated further over the weekend after activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike in support of the movement, was removed from the protest site and taken to hospital. CNN reported that protesters attempted to intervene as police shielded the removal from view with sheets.

Government response

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not personally addressed the protesters' demands, according to CNN. On Tuesday, he relayed a message through the minister of parliamentary affairs, who told reporters Modi was committed to preventing further paper leaks. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan — whose resignation protesters are demanding — has likewise not commented publicly on Monday's crackdown; CNN noted that he had previously described the CJP, in remarks to NDTV, as the "B-team of terror groups."

[IMAGE 4 — suggested placement: before Rahul Gandhi paragraph] Suggested caption: Delhi Police detain opposition leader Rahul Gandhi near Modi's residence, July 21, 2026.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was briefly detained Tuesday after staging a sit-in outside Modi's residence demanding the prime minister's resignation, CNN reported.

"This country won't change until Modi leaves"

For a growing number of protesters, replacing the education minister and reforming the exam system is no longer enough. Some are now demanding Modi's resignation outright, after more than a decade of BJP dominance in Indian politics.

"Police in civilian dress hit me with batons… while I was just standing," protester Talwar told CNN. "This country won't change until Modi leaves."

Correction (per CNN): An earlier account was clarified to note that rally attendee Sudhir Kumar witnessed protesters being struck by police but was not himself struck.

Reporting sourced from CNN (Kunal Sehgal, Deepak Rao, Rhea Mogul), July 22, 2026; additional inputs from Muskan Ansari.

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