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India’s education minister resigns in victory for Cockroach youth movement protests (over medical school exam leak/selling scandal) (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 5 days ago by zabadoh@ani.social to c/upliftingnews@lemmy.world
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[–] zabadoh@ani.social 33 points 5 days ago (1 children)

It's just one incident of many exam leaking/selling scandals for life-changing access to elite education, but this one actually resulted in some measure of justice.

With youth unemployment at 9.9%, competition for any path to a better life is fierce.

Young people have committed suicide over having to take the exam again

The national exam problem appears to be endemic: According to this article, there have been 152 major exam leaks since 2014.

The leaks benefit those who can afford expensive elite "coaching centres" who are the financial incentive for the exam thefts, i.e. India's wealthy and powerful.

[–] roguemetahuman@lemmy.world -2 points 5 days ago (2 children)

very interesting to see that the article specifically mentions leaks since 2014. It was worst pre-2014 when the current opposition party was in power. Make me feel the article has a political agenda rather than stating the facts.

[–] skhayfa@lemmy.world 9 points 5 days ago

Source?

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 2 points 4 days ago

Correlation doesn't mean causation (if what you say is even true).

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Now they just have to fix their education system. But this is a good first step. It shows that protesting and demonstrating can lead to change.

[–] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org -1 points 4 days ago (4 children)

A lot to be fixed in the education system for sure.

But how is leaked exam is failure of government?

[–] zabadoh@ani.social 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The term "leak" is an understatement.

Think more along the lines of "exam cheating scandal" for something like the SAT on steroids that's administered by the government.

And that one exam dictates whether you get accepted to an elite medical school that can lift you and your family out of the poverty, that is most of India, if you're talented enough.

But instead, the exam papers are sold to expensive coaching schools for the wealthy, leaving even those with the greatest talent without a chance.

[–] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org 1 points 2 days ago

I know what NEET exams are, I have spent some time in India. I know the importance of it as well and pressure students feel. I went back to my home country before completing high school. But My brother stayed behind and gave AIEEE in 2011, papers were leaked that year as well.

I think you guys have a marketing problem. Highlighting too much on paper leaks, while From what I gather from other comments, problem is the system, not one leak or even leaks in general. Because papers leak all the time in all countries, including my home country.

Criminals who do it should be caught and punished, and I haven't seen any claims or evidence that education minister was complicit.

Anyway congratulations on having an incompetent minister out, but if your demand on reform of system is not made clear. There will be no meaningful change, just hydra changing heads. That's why I'm saying it's a marketing problem.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Ok so from what I read, papers were leaked. Whoever leaked it is a criminal. I'm not reading if government colluded or anything.

No doubts about centralised admission system is unfair and blaming government for that. But again if paper is leaked, it's criminals committing crime, govt is supposed to catch them. So what is the complaint government is not doing enough to catch the criminals?

And even if govt is not doing enough to catch the criminals, why ask education minister to resign? Shouldn't it be whichever ministry is responsible for handling police?

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The problem is created by a bad education system. Testing is part of the education system. Making it mandatory to take this test and giving privileged access to preparation is a problem of the government that should be fixed. If you look at the wikipedia article, there is another incident, just like this one, that happened in 2024. The ousted education minister was the minister back then and nothing improved.

The problems are systemic and should've been tackled by the education minister, which is why he was forced to leave.

[–] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org 0 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Ok so the problem is not leaked papers right? Problem is bad education system? Is that the demand to improve education system from the ousted minister. I had left India back to my home country in 2011, but my brother was still my parents in India. And he gave AIEEE and paper was leaked that year, I don't remember it being such a huge problem. I understand the fucked up education system, not the leaking paper outrage.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 5 points 4 days ago

The leaked papers are the tip of the iceberg, the straw that broke the camel's back, the catalyst. It's representative of a broken system.

Whether the cockroach movement will continue to exist, who knows. Their principal demand was the sacking of the education minister. They also want a better education system, but they are hoping the next education minister will do that for them.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 days ago

The leaks have been going on for years, it's a systemic issue that the govt has ignored up until now.

[–] hancock@retrolemmy.com 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Are you really asking this question?

[–] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yes, because I'm not familiar with intricacies of Indian political systems. I have spent some time in India, I understand some but not all.

It maybe obvious to you. If you live in India. It's not obvious to me. I'm happy to learn more. But if you don't want to/ or are not able to explain, how would I sympathize with you?

I want to sympathize with the common man.

[–] hancock@retrolemmy.com 2 points 4 days ago

Apoligies.

My patience is running thin from watching classmates and few close friends being absolute morron. Defending gov and saying things like its not the issue of leaders but just people who did it. Like actually one who did it.

Now, how is gov involved? NTA is the org responsible for conducting examination for number of studies including NEET main examination issue of the protest. NTA is formed by gov and operates under it. It has consitently failed to properly conduct the exams for years for number of different studies. You might say it could be issue with few officials being corrupt for 2-3 leaks but leaks are happening at very large scale almost every single year. And no one is taking responsibilty.

Prior to current BJP gov it was common for ministers to resign over single failures in system.

This protest was although mainly for examination leak but underlying theme is accountability from system and against corruption.

I hope you get some idea. And to be honest I'd think a protest of common people at this scale doesnt require intricate knowledge to sympathize.

[–] Kissaki@feddit.org 7 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

I got very confused about the reported time scale. "week-long protests", quoting the minister with "10 days". Pretty sure I've seen reporting on the cockroach movement and protests between two to six weeks ago.

Later in the article the timespan gets mixed up.

Sonam Wangchuk, the renowned Indian engineer and activist who had galvanised the movement as he went on a 26-day hunger strike, celebrated the “victory of democracy, straight from the streets”.

For weeks, the Modi government had ignored the CJP protesters, but as support grew into ahuge mass movement this week, the government agreed to have a dialogue.

Wikipedia:

The 2026 Delhi Jantar Mantar protests, also referred to as the Indian Gen Z protests[13][14] and the Cockroach protests,[15][16] were a series of demonstrations initiated on 6 June 2026 by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP),

[–] FiniteBanjo@feddit.online 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

If not for the former minister saying as much I wouldn't really think you could attribute a change at the national level to a small group of thousands.

“Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and ‌across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to the prime minister,”

[–] excursion22@piefed.ca 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

It's not so different from professional exams in Canada/Untied States. Applicants with some wealth to put into a tutor are often more successful, while also requiring a not insignificant fee to write the exam, effectively gatekeeping professional colleges from the less well-off.

E: to clear up some confusion...there is a fee paid by the person taking/writing/being assessed by the exam. Apparently the meaning 'to write' an exam is not consistent, but I intended the Canadian/British English meaning.

[–] WaterWaiver@aussie.zone 1 points 4 days ago (2 children)

requiring a not insignificant fee to write the exam

What does this mean?

[–] Kissaki@feddit.org 7 points 4 days ago

I read it as it costs money to take the the exam. So in that sentence 1. pay tutor 2. pay for exam.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io -2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Are you having trouble with the English or the lack of specificity regarding the amount of the fee?

[–] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Be kind to strangers. Maybe he did have trouble with English.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io -2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I am being kind and not assuming I know what they mean. I'm willing to explain the English if that's the problem.

You're not being kind by assuming I want to insult them.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

How would you explain the English when there's clearly an error there? We can only make a best guess as to the actual intended meaning.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 1 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Where is the error?

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I think only British say "to write an exam", for Americans and a lot of non English speakers "to take" is more common. That creates confusion.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The University of York in the UK uses it to mean that the student is being assessed and writing answers to the questions posed in the exam.

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Which is what I said... Do you have issues understanding English?

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Or did someone nibble on your butthole while you were asleep? Jerk off, or something, it'll help release that aggression you have. It isn't healthy, hun.

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/hun

I'm neither Asian nor German, but maybe the dictionary in York has a different definition.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

'Write the exam'.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

That's British: see the University of York using the expression. For the USAians out there, it means to "take" the exam.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago

TIL. My country uses British English but I've never heard that expression my entire life.

[–] skhayfa@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago

That was very inspiring, hope they'll keep the fire burning and organize to fight corruption at all levels.