Pune

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday launched a nationwide campaign from Pune, calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and unveiling a five-point “exam manifesto” aimed at protecting students.

Addressing a large gathering of students and supporters at the Savitribai Phule Pune University campus, Dipke accused the government of failing to ensure accountability in examination-related controversies affecting candidates appearing for NEET, CBSE and CUET examinations.

He maintained that the movement’s primary demand remains the resignation of the education minister, alleging that millions of students have suffered due to repeated disruptions and irregularities in the examination system.

Dipke urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to decide whether the interests of students or the continuation of an “ineffective minister” should take precedence.

He also alleged that a teacher who participated in a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi had faced disciplinary action, arguing that timely intervention against those responsible for examination lapses could have prevented widespread public protests.

As part of the campaign, Dipke released an “exam manifesto” outlining measures to safeguard students from the consequences of examination failures. The proposals include financial compensation of ₹10,000 for students affected by paper leaks, postponed examinations or delayed results.

The manifesto also calls for the operation of special trains during large-scale recruitment examinations, the introduction of backup examination dates to ensure cancelled tests are rescheduled within 72 hours, and age-relaxation provisions for candidates adversely affected by delays.

Additionally, Dipke advocated for physical evaluation of answer sheets in place of online assessment methods and mandatory audits of computer-based testing systems before examinations are conducted. He also demanded that contracts related to examination management be awarded solely on merit.

Warning that the agitation would intensify if no action is taken, Dipke announced that students from Pune would travel to New Delhi and stage a protest at Jantar Mantar on June 20 if the minister does not step down.

Criticising what he described as divisive political narratives, Dipke said public attention had increasingly shifted towards religious issues at the expense of pressing concerns such as education and employment.

He also objected to attempts to brand supporters of the movement as anti-national and said many students and activists associated with the campaign had played a role in exposing examination-related problems.

Explaining the party’s unusual name and symbol, Dipke said the cockroach represented the frustration and anger felt by young people toward a system they believe is failing them.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who attended the event, expressed solidarity with the movement and praised the efforts of young people seeking reforms in the education sector.

Earlier in the day, Dipke assured that the agitation would remain peaceful and operate within constitutional boundaries. He said the campaign would travel to several cities, including Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar and Bengaluru, before culminating in a major demonstration in the national capital.

He further alleged that instead of engaging with students’ concerns, authorities were targeting the organisation by restricting its social media presence.

Responding to questions about a photograph circulating online that purportedly showed him with Prime Minister Modi in the United States, Dipke dismissed the image as likely AI-generated, saying it would have been impossible for him to have such an interaction while he was a student in the US.

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He added that until recently, he had been searching for employment opportunities in the United States before returning to India and becoming actively involved in the movement.