THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, JULY 25, 2026

Bringing an end to its 37-day-long agitation at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Saturday announced the withdrawal of its nationwide protest after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Council of Ministers and the Centre assured the organisation that its principal demands would be addressed within a stipulated timeframe.

Announcing the decision at a press conference held at the Constitution Club in the national capital, CJP Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das said the agitation was being withdrawn "in good faith" following the Centre’s commitment to implement the assurances reached during discussions. He said the organisation expected the government to honour its commitments within the agreed timeline.

The announcement followed the third round of negotiations between CJP representatives and Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh. According to the organisation, the Centre agreed to provide suitable compensation to the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide, and to withdraw FIRs registered against protesters across the country during the course of the agitation.

The CJP has also submitted a five-point charter of demands seeking sweeping reforms in the country's education and examination systems. The next round of discussions between the organisation and the Centre is scheduled to take place after four weeks to deliberate on the proposed reforms.

CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the organisation had sought compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of students who lost their lives in connection with the NEET controversy. While the government did not commit to the specific amount, it agreed to extend compensation in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. Ranka said discussions on the broader reform agenda would continue during the next meeting with the Centre.

Claiming that the government's response marked a significant breakthrough, Ranka said all major demands had been accepted and appealed to protesters across the country to end their demonstrations peacefully and return home. He added that the organisation would announce its future course of action, if necessary, after reviewing the implementation of the assurances.

On the issue of legal action against demonstrators, Das said the Centre had accepted the demand to withdraw FIRs lodged after the July 20 "Chalo Sansad" march and assured that the process would begin shortly. He said the government had also agreed to provide copies of all FIRs filed against protesters within the next three to four days. According to the organisation, nearly 15 to 20 FIRs were registered in Delhi alone.

Das further said that the CJP had sought a written assurance from the Centre regarding the withdrawal of FIRs and protection against any future legal proceedings linked to the agitation. He expressed confidence that the government would issue the written guarantee by Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he was stepping down in the larger interest of students to ensure that the country's youth did not remain "trapped in a web of confusion."

The Cockroach Janata Party, which initially began as a satirical social media platform following remarks by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, later evolved into one of the prominent groups spearheading the nationwide agitation alongside activist Sonam Wangchuk. The movement had demanded Pradhan's resignation over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination.

The controversy erupted in May after allegations of large-scale irregularities and question paper leaks surfaced in the NEET-UG examination. Amid mounting public outrage and nationwide protests, authorities conducted a re-examination on June 21, but demands for accountability and systemic reforms continued, culminating in the prolonged agitation that has now formally concluded following the Centre's assurances.