Political situation in India - Student protests in India

Indian government invites students after protests

The Indian government promises concessions and a meeting with the leaders of the student-led “cockroach” movement after weeks of protests, writes the Financial Times. The protesters continue to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after a leak that invalidated the applications of millions of young Indians to higher education.

Despite this, the movement promises to carry out a large planned demonstration on Friday.

“This is no longer just a protest, it is a youth movement against a broken system,” the movement writes on X.

No progress in talks between government and protesters

The talks between the Indian government and the “cockroach party” protest movement on Friday have not led to any concrete progress. This was stated by both sides in separate statements, according to AFP.

The protesters are demanding that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan be fired and that no legal action be taken against the students who participated in the protests.

New mass protests are planned for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to The Hindu.

The “cockroach party” protest movement — it’s about the matter

• The Indian youth movement “the cockroaches” has grown from a satirical online phenomenon to a mass movement with over 22 million followers on Instagram.
• The movement was started by recent graduate Abhijeet Dipke after India’s chief justice called unemployed young people “cockroaches” in connection with a scandal involving invalidated college entrance exams.
• The protests have included hunger strikes, demonstrations and petitions. The movement is demanding, among other things, that the education minister resign or be fired.
• After weeks of protests, the Indian government has promised some concessions and invited the movement's leaders to talks, but the protests have continued and been met with police action and tear gas.
• The movement has grown to include broader demands for educational reforms, measures against youth unemployment and corruption, and has received support from parents, opposition politicians and other social groups.