Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has issued a public appeal for a “Parliament March” on July 20, as the student-led agitation against examination paper leaks and unemployment gained momentum on Saturday. The protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has drawn support from political leaders and academics, including eminent economist Jayati Ghosh, who is scheduled to deliver a public lecture on “The Economics of Unemployment”.
Dipke’s appeal for a peaceful march
In a video message posted on X, Dipke urged parents to join the march, stating that repeated examination failures and paper leaks had undermined years of hard work by students and the financial sacrifices made by their families while preparing for competitive examinations such as NEET and JEE. He alleged that despite years of preparation and substantial financial investment, students’ efforts were being negated by the government’s failure to prevent paper leaks.
Dipke appealed to the public to participate in the “peaceful Parliament March”, scheduled to begin from Jantar Mantar at 9 am on July 20. The march aims to demand accountability and systemic reforms in the examination system.
Political and academic support
The CJP stated that several political leaders and public intellectuals would join the protest site on Sunday in solidarity with students. According to a CJP spokesperson, former Kerala Health Minister KK Shylaja, former Kerala Finance Minister and MLA KN Balagopal, and former Minister P Rajeev are expected to interact with students participating in the protest. Additionally, Samajwadi Party MP Pushpendra Saroj is scheduled to address the gathering later in the day in support of the students’ demands for a transparent and accountable examination system.
Economist Jayati Ghosh is set to deliver a public lecture on “The Economics of Unemployment” at the protest site, highlighting the broader economic context of the student agitation.
Demands and impact
The student-led agitation, which began earlier this month, has been demanding action over alleged irregularities in examinations and seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The CJP said the protest was continuing to attract support from elected representatives, academics and citizens from across the country as it sought systemic reforms to prevent paper leaks and ensure fairness in public examinations.
The protest has highlighted the issue of unemployment among educated youth, with many students expressing frustration over the lack of job opportunities despite clearing competitive exams. The march on July 20 is expected to draw large crowds, with Dipke calling for a peaceful demonstration.
