There were fewer students than usual in Delhi University’s North Campus this week, as most of those who had joined days earlier were attending their orientation. You could find students across Hindu College, the Faculty of Law, Daulat Ram College, St Stephen's College and Hansraj College holding a piece of paper either registering for the library or completing their admission process, while actively following updates on the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which concluded its 36-day long protest on July 25.

The protest demanding accountability over a spate of examination paper leaks, including in NEET-UG, led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister. He was replaced by Prahlad Joshi, who has since faced political backlash for his 2022 remarks defending the early release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case. 

The protests also came against the backdrop of circulars from universities, including DU, JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia, discouraging students from participating in demonstrations at Jantar Mantar. DU’s circular, issued on July 23, warned that unlawful assemblies “may invite legal action” and urged students to “prioritise their safety and compliance with the law.” 

Dear students and faculty, your safety matters to us. Please note that any unlawful assemblies or demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, which are strictly regulated as per the directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, may invite legal action. Such activities can…— University of Delhi (@UnivofDelhi) July 23, 2026

Dear students and faculty, your safety matters to us. Please note that any unlawful assemblies or demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, which are strictly regulated as per the directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, may invite legal action. Such activities can…

A march to Parliament on July 20 saw police come down hard on protesters with lathis, tear gas and pellet guns. The Centre agreed to all three of the CJP’s core demands on July 25 including the withdrawal of FIRs against protesters, but CJP warned the movement would resume if the “harassment of students” by the police........

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