Amid CJP-led protests demanding accountability for the leak of medical entrance test Neet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that the government has decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks.

In a statement on X, Modi said that nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth.

“We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard. This continues our series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students. Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared,” Modi further said.

Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this…— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 23, 2026

Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this…

The announcement comes amid CJP-led protests demanding accountability for the leak of medical entrance test Neet and other irregularities in the education system. The protests led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has sought the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan — a demand it reiterated after Modi’s announcement.

“Dharmendra Pradhan must resign,” the CJP said on X.

Dharmendra Pradhan Must Resignधर्मेंद्र प्रधान को इस्तीफ़ा देना होगा https://t.co/0XShqJ6FVG— Cockroach is Back (@Cockroachisback) July 23, 2026

Dharmendra Pradhan Must Resignधर्मेंद्र प्रधान को इस्तीफ़ा देना होगा https://t.co/0XShqJ6FVG

Watch our live coverage of CJP protests here

For weeks, the CJP has been holding a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over the leak of Neet question paper and demand for accountability for irregularities in Neet, checking of CBSE class 12 answer sheets, and other competitive exams. Activist Sonam Wangchuk is on hunger strike as part of the protest.

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Despite multiple rounds of meetings between the government and protesters, the two sides have not been able to arrive at a solution, and the authorities have continued cracking down on protesters, lathi-charging them repeatedly for days, lobbing tear gas shells at them, and detaining several protesters. There have been reports that security personnel have also used pellet guns on protesters. Overall, dozens of protesters have been injured in the ongoing crackdown.

The Opposition has united behind protests led by the CJP and backed the demand for Pradhan’s resignation. But Opposition leaders have also faced authorities’ crackdown, with the police forcibly removing Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders when they were holding a sit-in protest near the Prime Minister’s Residence. The police removed them from the site, with visuals showing personnel dragging Rahul and holding him by all the limbs while whisking him away. The party alleged he was manhandled in the process.

Wangchuk has previously said that he would end his hunger strike if the MPs would discuss the issue of Neet in the parliament. Sources in the government have previously told CNN-News 18 that “it is agreeable to a parliamentary discussion”. They said that Union minister Jitendra Singh and JP Nadda discussed this with Wangchuk on Tuesday night and conveyed they were open to a parliamentary discussion.

While the government has said it remains willing to hold a discussion, the government, the Opposition, and the CJP are not able to come on the same page. For one, the government has rejected the demand of Pradhan quitting or being fired.

Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday declared that Pradhan must resign before any debate on the Neet question paper leak can take place.

“If there has to be a fair discussion, the Education Minister should resign first. Until he resigns, there won’t be a fair discussion here,” Kharge said in Hindi.