PM Promises “More Strict Actions” Against Leaks Today As Protests Continue

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video statement on Thursday night promised more action would follow on Friday in paper leak cases, amid protest in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar led by the satirical political group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). PM Modi’s post on X came after the Delhi High Court announced a fast-track court to hear such cases.

The late night video statement was the second post by PM Modi on the issue in a single day.

“Friends, I know that paper leak is not an ordinary issue. It is very painful for lakhs of students and their families. That is why many steps have been taken in the last two and a half months,” PM Modi said.

“The culprits have been caught and are in jail. Our most important responsibility was to ensure that students do not waste a single year. It was very important to take the exams immediately,” he said, adding the government used its full power to arrange the exams of at least 22 lakh students.

“I gave instructions to the departments for the fast-track court. Today, the departments worked hard and gave me the approval late at night. Tomorrow, there will be a discussion in the cabinet. After the suggestions of the cabinet members, it will be given its final form. And from Monday, when the second week of parliament starts, we will try to get that bill passed as soon as possible,” PM Modi said in Hindi in the video statement.

Reacting to PM Modi’s video, the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi reiterated that students want Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

More strict actions against paper leaks to come in tomorrow’s Cabinet! pic.twitter.com/NRysBukk5U

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 23, 2026

Apart fom the fast-track court, the Centre on Thursday night shifted higher education secretary Vineet Joshi to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and appointed new officials to top positions in both the school education and higher education departments.

Joshi earlier held the charge of school education secretary after Sanjay Kumar retired from the post on June 30. He also worked as acting chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC). While Naresh Kumar Gangwar has been appointed as the higher education secretary, TK Anil Kumar has been brought in as the school education secretary.

Gangwar was posted as secretary in the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, while Kumar was additional secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development.

The announcement of the fast-track courts also comes, sources said, amid a confirmation of a meeting between CJP members and the government on Friday. The protesters who have gathered in central Delhi’s Jantar Mantar have been demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The fast-track court will try offences under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 and related cases. All pending cases filed under this law will be transferred to the newly created fast-track court immediately. The anti-cheating law provides for imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of Rs 10 lakh for those found guilty.

Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya ordered the posting of judicial officer Anu Grover Baliga as special CBI judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) in the newly created fast-track Court in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Courts Complex, the high court registrar general said.

Hundreds continued to pour into Jantar Mantar on Thursday as the protest showed no sign of winding down. Most of the protesters are young people. They raised many questions, from the NEET case to wider issues like unemployment and alleged irregularities in the CBSE’s on-screen marking process, besides seeking reforms in the conduct of public examinations.

The protest began on June 6. It gained attention after Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk joined with an indefinite hunger strike on June 28.