The Indian government announced the resignation of its education minister in late July 2026, following weeks of widespread student protests. These demonstrations, led by the Cockroach Janta party, were prompted by growing resentment over repeated examination cancellations and question paper leaks.
The pressure of exams in India has intensified in recent years. The number of student suicides increased from 8,068 in 2014 to 14,488 in 2024, an approximate 80% rise, according to the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India report from the National Crime Records Bureau. The report lists failure in examinations as a leading cause of student suicides, second only to family problems.
Families who attribute the loss of their children to education system mismanagement and examination scandals expressed mixed feelings about the protests. Some were hopeful that future students might be spared a similar fate, while others questioned the delay in action.