What India’s ‘cockroach’ protests reveal about a generation under pressure
What India’s ‘cockroach’ protests reveal about a generation under pressure
India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) began as an online satire. It is now at the centre of one of the country's biggest youth-led protest movements in years.
The movement gained momentum after India cancelled its national medical entrance exam following a paper leak, affecting about two million students and reigniting long-standing anger over repeated exam scandals.
For many young Indians, education has long been seen as the path to a secure future. But recurring exam leaks, inequality and too few jobs have left many feeling that promise has been broken.
The Cockroach Janta Party turned an insult into a symbol of resilience. Its meme-driven identity has united students who say they followed the rules but were failed by the system.
The leaderless structure of the movement has drawn thousands onto the streets and pushed youth unemployment, education reform and fairness to the centre of India's political debate.
