Modi Promises Fast-Track Courts as India’s Exam-Leak Protests Continue

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on July 23, 2026 that his government would establish fast-track courts to prosecute officials accused of leaking examination papers, responding publicly for the first time to a youth-led protest movement that has drawn large demonstrations in New Delhi and solidarity actions in other cities.

The announcement follows sustained protests over repeated exam-paper leaks and alleged failures in India’s education system. Demonstrators operating under the satirical name Cockroach Janta Party have demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as well as broader reforms. Protest organisers rejected the fast-track-court proposal as inadequate, arguing that accountability has been absent despite years of reported leaks.

An estimated 50,000 people demonstrated in Delhi on July 20, according to reporting cited by The Guardian. Police had denied permission for a march toward parliament and later used batons and tear gas. More than 1,000 protesters remained at a central Delhi protest site on July 22, while solidarity demonstrations were also reported in Mumbai, Chennai, Indore, Hyderabad and Patiala.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi called for Pradhan to resign and for Modi to apologise, saying India had recorded 152 exam-paper leaks over a decade without a conviction. Health Minister JP Nadda accused Gandhi of seeking political advantage from the protests and said the opposition was not focused on improving education or delivering justice for students.

Modi said those who harmed young people’s futures would not be spared. His government has indicated a willingness to talk with protesters but has not accepted the demand for Pradhan’s resignation. The dispute remains unresolved, with protesters continuing to press for ministerial accountability and structural changes to the education system.