The Indian government and representatives of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held a second round of formal negotiations on Friday, following a week in which tens of thousands of protesters clashed with police and activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a marathon hunger strike. The talks, mediated by Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh at a neutral venue in New Delhi, failed to resolve the movement’s core demand: the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over a series of competitive exam paper leaks, including the NEET medical entrance test. While the government agreed in principle to withdraw legal cases against peaceful demonstrators and offer compensation to families of students who died by suicide, CJP leaders declared Pradhan’s removal “non-negotiable” and threatened to escalate the agitation.

Viewed from New Delhi, the government’s outreach represents a significant tactical shift for an administration that has historically resisted ministerial resignations under street pressure. Government sources insisted there was “no question” of Pradhan stepping down, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced fast-track courts to prosecute exam fraud and the cabinet approved a bill to tighten penalties. In parallel, the opposition Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi, accused the police of using pellet guns against protesters – a charge the authorities deny – and echoed the CJP’s demand for the minister’s head, disrupting parliamentary proceedings. The government, meanwhile, maintained that engaging with the protesters demonstrated its willingness to address systemic failures, while portraying resignation as an evasion of responsibility.

According to analysts in the Indian capital, the protests have transcended their initial grievance over exam irregularities to tap into a broader youth frustration with economic insecurity and governance. The movement, which began as a satirical response to a judge’s derogatory reference to unemployed youth as “cockroaches”, has drawn participants across caste and class lines, including many traditionally aligned with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The government’s response – combining concessions on secondary demands with a hard refusal on the principal one – suggests an effort to defuse tensions without setting a precedent for cabinet accountability. Wangchuk’s decision to end his fast after receiving a written assurance that no cases would be filed against peaceful marchers removed a symbolic focal point, but the CJP, mobilising via encrypted apps and viral memes, kept the street presence alive.

The dossier now rests on a third round of talks scheduled for Saturday afternoon, with the government expected to convey its final position on Pradhan’s removal. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke warned that a failure to act would trigger a nationwide protest call larger than the 20 July march. In Parliament, the opposition vowed to continue raising the issue, while the government signalled it would permit a debate on exam reforms – but only without preconditions. International observers note that the episode tests the Modi administration’s ability to manage a grievance-driven, digitally organised movement that is ideologically diverse and difficult to dismiss through conventional political counter-narratives.