New Delhi, Jul 25: The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Saturday called off its 37-day-long agitation over the NEET-UG 2026 controversy after the Centre accepted its key demands, including the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following the examination crisis, and the withdrawal of FIRs registered against protesters.
The announcement came after the third round of talks between CJP representatives and Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. Earlier in the day, Pradhan announced on social media that he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that he was stepping down in the larger interest of students and to prevent the country’s youth from remaining “trapped in a web of confusion.”
Addressing a joint press conference, CJP Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das said the organisation was withdrawing its agitation “in good faith” after receiving assurances from the government on all its major demands.
“As the government has accepted all our demands, we call off our protests with immediate effect. We appeal to everyone to return home peacefully,” Das said.
The Centre assured that suitable compensation would be provided, in accordance with applicable rules, to the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide following the examination controversy. The government also agreed to withdraw FIRs registered against protesters across the country and assured that copies of the cases filed would be shared with the organisation within the next few days.
CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the organisation had sought ₹1 crore as compensation for each affected family and had also submitted a five-point charter seeking comprehensive reforms in public examinations and the education system. He said another round of discussions with the government would be held after four weeks to review progress on the proposed reforms.
The CJP-led agitation began on June 20 at Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, irregularities in the examination and evaluation process, and broader reforms in the conduct of competitive examinations. The protest later gained nationwide support, drawing participation from thousands of students and backing from several opposition parties.
The movement, which originated from a satirical social media account inspired by remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, was led by the Cockroach Janata Party along with activist Sonam Wangchuk.
The NEET-UG controversy erupted in May following allegations of a paper leak, while a re-examination was conducted on June 21. The protest intensified after the “Chalo Sansad” march on July 20, during which multiple FIRs were registered against demonstrators in Delhi and other states.
With the government’s assurances and the resignation of the Education Minister, the CJP announced the immediate suspension of its protest while stating that it would continue to engage with the Centre on long-term examination and education reforms.
