The protest unfolding at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar has grown into a movement whose significance now stretches far beyond the capital. For 19-year-old Ardian from South Delhi, it represents "Generation Z's movement", with thousands of young people taking part in what is, for many, their first experience of organised dissent. They have spent nights under tarpaulin sheets, discovered that democracy often demands endurance as much as elections, and gradually evolved from participants into caretakers of the movement.
The alleged NEET paper leak, remarks by the Chief Justice and subsequent developments provided many young people with an opportunity to voice their concerns.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was formed in May. Its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, arrived in India on June 6, and by June 25 announced a protest demanding the resignation of the Education Minister, under whose tenure the NEET examination was allegedly leaked twice.
Those gathered at the site say they are seeking meaningful change and a stronger education system, which they believe lies at the heart of broader issues.
Since it began in June, the protest has grown beyond almost every expectation.
Alongside students from Delhi University and several other institutions, well-off members of Gen Z and unemployed youth joined the agitation, hoping for reforms and greater accountability.
The July 20 march towards Parliament proved to be a turning point. Many young participants had travelled to the protest without informing their families.
Several protesters were injured by tear gas shells, while others sustained pellet gun injuries.
As the movement expanded, conversations with participants revealed concerns that issues unrelated to education were beginning to dilute the original focus on the paper leak and examination reforms.
Students and young people who had remained absent during the initial weeks gradually began joining the demonstrations in larger numbers.
The protest received fresh momentum after Sonam Wangchuk joined and launched an indefinite hunger strike following his 'Tortoise Walk' to Delhi. His fast ended late on July 23.
What began with roughly 500 participants eventually grew into a gathering of more than 50,000 people by July, making it one of the largest youth-led demonstrations in recent years.
From the outset, some participants questioned whether the CJP-led protest had adequate organisational responsibility. Following the events of July 20, criticism emerged over Abhijeet Dipke's leadership and handling of the movement.
"The kind of responsibility expected from someone who claims to be the voice of thousands or lakhs of people includes managing the crowd. People cannot simply be left on their own. As a leader, Mr. Dipke did not act responsibly on several occasions," said Aditya, a 23-year-old freelancer from Gurugram.
Long queues outside the venue reflected the movement's rapid expansion.
"Our demand is the resignation of the Education Minister. He is responsible for this entire blunder. Students have lost their lives because of the ministry's failure. Our protest will continue until accountability is fixed and meaningful reforms are implemented," CJP spokesperson Sourav Das told India Today Digital.
From July 1 to July 22
Six visits to Jantar Mantar between July 1 and July 22 revealed a protest that continued to evolve beyond what speeches alone could convey.
The slogans became increasingly intense with each visit. Although patience appeared to be wearing thin, determination and hope remained intact, with many participants continuing to believe in peaceful, Gandhian methods of protest.
The atmosphere reminded some observers of historic mass movements in India, where large numbers of people united behind a common cause.
Many participants viewed peaceful protest as a way to challenge the establishment.
Young volunteers gradually assumed responsibility for running the protest site.
They distributed medicines, transported food, collected garbage, guided newcomers and maintained order, not because they were instructed to do so, but because they believed the movement depended on them.
Among them was Nandini, who led cleanliness drives with other volunteers, urging protesters to maintain hygiene, behave responsibly and avoid abusive language.
For the organisers, however, the central demand remained unchanged.
During the early days of July, volunteers struggled with logistics, food distribution and coordination.
Initially, student organisations such as AISA, AISF and SFI provided much of the organisational support, but the movement soon expanded beyond university campuses.
Food delivery services were largely absent during the first phase of the protest. That changed dramatically after July 20.
Meals began arriving from across India and overseas, with protesters saying supporters in countries including Qatar and Canada had placed food orders for them.
As the protest grew, the crowd became increasingly diverse.
UPSC aspirants stood alongside unemployed graduates, college students, schoolchildren, working professionals and families who had travelled overnight from states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan and Punjab.
Many had no organisational affiliation but said they felt compelled to participate.
Voices from the ground
Conversations with more than 60 participants over six visits offered insight into the movement's transformation.
The first three visits took place after speeches had ended, allowing ordinary conversations to reveal perspectives often absent from the stage.
Later visits included spending time with protesters, sharing meals and briefly assisting volunteers who collected nearly 50 kilograms of garbage after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi suspended regular waste collection following July 20.
Journalists covering the protest said they were welcomed respectfully and found participants willing to openly share their views despite social media narratives suggesting hostility towards the media.
Volunteer Nandini from Haldwani said even cleaning the protest site was part of the movement's purpose.
"I am trying to bring more people under one umbrella," she said. "The idea is to fix something that is broken. Our strength lies in our unity."
Writer Ekanch, who travelled from Mumbai, described the protest as something deeply personal.
"I can express everything through my creativity," he said. "Most often, that creativity dies in schools. Something has to change, and we young people have to think about our future."
A movement that expanded beyond education
As the protest attracted wider attention after July 20, its demands also broadened.
Slogans calling for "azaadi", expressions of religious identity and the presence of Nihangs became visible features of the demonstrations.
Observers also noted the presence of individuals and groups not directly connected to the education issue.
There were instances of misconduct, abusive language and participation by political groups, including leaders and workers from Chandrashekhar Ravan's Azad Samaj Party, the Aam Aadmi Party, farmers' unions, women's rights organisations and other farmer leaders.
The protest site also became a platform for creative expression.
Participants used posters, rap performances, folk music, poetry and conversations to convey their message.
Karmesh, a 22-year-old student from Maharashtra, performed songs he had written specifically for the movement, giving the site the feel of both a public forum and a political demonstration.
On July 1, media presence was limited and public attention remained relatively low, though the protesters' morale was high.
That changed dramatically after July 20.
The protest began attracting national and international media coverage, with outlets including the BBC and Al Jazeera reporting from the site.
The changing composition of the crowd reflected the movement's expanding reach.
Among those present were an 84-year-old participant and a ten-year-old child, both expressing support for the protest.
Nineteen-year-old tattoo artist and school dropout Moksh described the protest as a place for change.
"The site has become a battleground for us. We are fighting for what we deserve, not what they want us to settle for," he said.
The parents of a 21-year-old UPSC aspirant said they joined because the protest had evolved beyond an examination leak and now represented the uncertainty facing an entire generation.
Not everyone was equally optimistic.
A 73-year-old observer said, "The protest has energy. These youths are here for change, but change what, the system, the minister or everything? Even if the resignation comes, the larger problems will remain."
As the movement expanded, security arrangements also intensified.
Police presence increased, additional barricades were installed, frisking became stricter, walk-through scanners were introduced and surveillance measures were expanded.
Despite these restrictions, the protest continued to attract new participants every day.
Upasna, who travelled from Mumbai with her husband, said, "People must be held accountable. Dharmendra Pradhan should resign and reforms must follow."
Others questioned the movement's internal organisation.
Aditya, a marketing professional from Gurugram, argued that the leadership had struggled to manage a protest that had grown rapidly in size.
Over nearly four weeks, Jantar Mantar transformed from a relatively small student-led demonstration into a nationwide movement drawing political leaders, public figures, students, professionals and ordinary citizens.
Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike, which ended on July 23, brought another surge of participation, while donations helped convert temporary camps into more organised spaces equipped with mattresses, blankets and community kitchens.
By the final visits, many participants said the movement had grown beyond the resignation of a single minister.
For those gathered at Jantar Mantar, the protest had become a platform where years of accumulated frustrations found a collective voice.
The young people leading the demonstrations say they are demanding accountability and believe lasting change can be achieved through collective action and peaceful resistance.
