Overview
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Thursday that the government will set up fast-track courts to ensure swift punishment for those involved in exam paper leaks, and he directed officials to take necessary steps.
- The announcement came in a post on X that also paid tribute to freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad, language that some commentators read as a message to the youth-led protesters at Jantar Mantar.
- Thousands of students and activists from the Cockroach Janata Party have been camping at Jantar Mantar since June 20 to demand accountability for alleged NEET paper leaks and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
- Security forces, including Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force, have repeatedly clashed with demonstrators with reports of tear gas, stone‑pelting and the forcible hospitalization of hunger striker Sonam Wangchuk, raising concerns about protesters’ health and policing tactics.
- The protests highlight the high stakes of the NEET exam for students’ careers, and the fast-track courts could speed legal outcomes but may also deepen political tensions if protesters press for ministerial accountability rather than only criminal probes.