In India, conflicts over exams for entering government jobs and the medical field have brought thousands of young people to the streets. Participants complain about injustice in the education system, leaking of exam questions, and fading confidence in the future. About this, Reuters reported.
According to the publication, the satirical movement in India called "Cockroach Janta Party" ("Cockroach People's Party") has become a symbol of discontent among the country's youth.
The protests began after the results of the national medical exam were canceled. Nearly 2 million students' results were reviewed because it was found that the exam questions had been leaked in advance.
In India, such exams are considered a major path for millions of young people to a middle-class life. Thousands of government jobs — from diplomats and administrators to ordinary service positions — are distributed precisely through highly competitive exams.
However, this path is becoming increasingly difficult. According to Reuters, more than 20 exam results have been canceled since 2014 due to question leaks.
One of those at the center of the protests is Ashok Kumar, 25. He comes from a farmer family and prepared for several years with the dream of working in civil service. He spent more than $10,000 saved by his family for studies and exam preparation.
"After all, I thought that hard work alone would be enough," said Ashok Kumar.
He had participated in civil service exams several times, but each time he failed to achieve the required result.
Ashok's younger brother Abhishek Kumar also faced the same fate. He took the exam three times to study at a medical university. When the results were canceled due to leaked questions, his dreams were also shattered.
"I wanted to become a doctor and buy my mother jewelry and a TV for our house," said Abhishek.
The protests encompassed not only children from low-income families but also India's middle class. Complaints about youth unemployment, economic inequality, and problems in the education system have increased in the country.
According to data, Indians under 30 are three times more likely to be unemployed than the general population.
On July 20, more than 50,000 people attempted to march toward parliament in Delhi. The protesters faced police resistance, but the movement was widely supported online.
The protesters advanced reforming the exam system as one of their main demands. Later, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.
This was one of the rare political concessions for the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The government announced that it would strengthen laws against leaking exam questions, set up a special commission to review the system, and pay compensation to families of students who committed suicide because of the conflict.
The protests were also joined by Divya Unni, a 41-year-old actress and director. She came from Mumbai to Delhi and supported the youth.
Simran, the 21-year-old daughter of her acquaintance Mamta Singh, a domestic worker, had taken an exam to study at a medical university. But after the results were canceled due to leaked questions, her dreams were also destroyed.
Mamta spent more than $3,000 annually on exam preparation for her daughter. But in the retaken exam, Simran could not achieve the expected result and gave up her plan to study medicine.
"Today my daughter is 21. In a year she will turn 22, and what if this situation repeats? Will we continue this all our lives? When will she live her own life?" said Mamta Singh.
