India’s Gen Z forced Modi to listen, respond and act — exposing chinks in the ruling party’s armor
Protesters chant slogans, carry banners and wave Indian flags at a meeting organized by Cockroach Janta Party supporters following the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the leak of exam papers, in Mumbai, India, on July 26, 2026. (Photo: Indranil Aditya/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has buckled under pressure from student protests across India – a rarity under the current administration – underlining the growing influence of Generation Z in the world’s largest democracy.
Indian Education Minister on Saturday Dharmendra Pradhan resignedA key demand from student protesters who have expressed concerns over the leak of exam test papers.
The government also accepted other demands The youth movement leading this protest, the Cockroach Janta Party, demanded compensation to be paid to the families of students who died by suicide due to the leak of exam papers in May.
Protests intensified on social media pushed 75-year-old Modi to take action. His first reel on Instagram It is trying to improve its presence on the platform with the aim of connecting with the younger generation of voters. In his last broadcast on Sunday, Modi promised: “HIGH POWER TASK FORCEIt is led by Indian tech entrepreneur Nandan Nilekani to oversee examination reforms.
Experts said the protests revealed a growing disconnect between the Modi government and young Indians, a generation that will dominate the electorate for decades to come.
“It’s very striking to see the rhetoric and the language of these protesters,” Michael Kugelman, senior fellow for the Atlantic Council’s South Asia region, told “Inside India” on Monday.
Protesters were “highly critical of Modi and his government” and “disrespectful at times,” he said, adding that this was surprising given the popularity of the Modi government.
Stay connected with young voters
Experts emphasized that there will be many major state elections in 2027, including Uttar Pradesh, the state with India’s largest young voter base. By 2029, when it comes to the next general election, Generation Z will be the most “influential demographic” and all political parties will emphasize addressing their own priorities.
“Don’t do that make me a hero Because of Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation,” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said in a speech on Saturday, adding that “the country is ruined because of making one person a hero” in a veiled reference to the prime minister.
For much of the last decade, economic aspirations have been the driving factor in Modi’s appeal to voters, experts said, but added that many young people see that promise falling through because of rising unemployment and a lack of upward mobility.
NEW DELHI, INDIA – JULY 25: CJP (Cockroach janta Party) founder Abhijeet Dipke announced the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan while addressing his supporters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, India on July 25, 2026. Protesters gathered in large numbers in New Delhi on Monday as discontent over numerous issues grew and activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was fasting in protest, was forcibly hospitalized on Sunday. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was also detained on Tuesday, among others, as the movement continued throughout the week. (Photo: Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images)
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CJP was launched May 16 by Dipke, a political communications strategist and Boston University student, after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, during a courtroom hearing, referred to people attacking institutions as “parasites” and likened some unemployed youth and activists to “cockroaches.”
The CJI later said: verbal observations “misquoted” However, CJP had already gone viral on social media and reached more than 22 million followers in a short time.
HSK called for a protest on 6 June. I demand resignation He blamed Pradhan for the exam paper leaks that took place in May. However, the demonstration gained momentum on July 20 after the Delhi Police’s violent crackdown on students who breached security barricades surrounding the protest site to march towards the parliament.
Exciting protests
The political impact of the student protest on the Modi government could be potentially significant, Arpit Chaturvedi, Teneo’s South Asia consultant, told CNBC.
Chaturvedi said the CJP movement suggests that the Modi government’s “political and developmental narrative may not resonate as strongly with the next generation of voters” and challenges the “perception of the government’s political invincibility”.
According to local media reports, CJP’s successful protest has already inspired a copycat group. E20 Janta PartyIndia wants Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to resign over his task of mixing 20 percent ethanol into petrol. Indian farmers too plan a protest To express concerns about the US-India trade deal.
The Atlantic Council’s Kugelman said the success of the CJP protest would have a “galvanizing effect” on other civil society campaigns. The last time the Modi government had to concede to protesters’ demands was in 2021, after more than a year of farmers’ demonstrations.
