Dipke said Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation had met only one of the campaign’s demands. He claimed financial support promised to the families of medical entrance candidates who allegedly died by suicide had not been delivered.
The CJP had sought compensation of ₹1 crore for each affected family. Dipke said officials had indicated that applicable rules and procedures would have to be examined before any payments could be approved.
“We want the government to fulfil the demands agreed upon. Otherwise, we will have to sit in protest again,” Dipke said during an appearance in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.
The activist also questioned the choice of Joshi to oversee the Education Ministry. Joshi, who held the consumer affairs, food and public distribution and renewable energy portfolios, was given additional responsibility for education after Pradhan’s departure.
Dipke said the organisation did not support the appointment and argued that the change of minister had failed to address wider concerns about accountability, public confidence and the treatment of students. The government has not indicated that it plans to reconsider Joshi’s assignment.
The warning came little more than a week after the CJP ended its 37-day demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The agitation was called off on July 25 after Pradhan resigned and government representatives assured organisers that other demands would be considered.
Apart from Pradhan’s removal and financial assistance, protesters sought the withdrawal of criminal cases registered against participants. They also demanded protection from punitive action for students and activists who joined demonstrations linked to the examination dispute.
The campaign began after allegations that questions from the NEET-UG examination held on May 3 had been leaked. About two million candidates took the test for admission to undergraduate medical courses.
The National Testing Agency cancelled the examination after irregularities emerged, and a fresh test was held on June 21. Results from the re-examination were announced in July.
Anger over the examination grew into a broader challenge to the management of national entrance tests. Dipke led an early demonstration in New Delhi on June 6 before the CJP began its continuous Jantar Mantar sit-in on June 20.
The movement expanded as students, civil society groups, opposition parties and public figures joined calls for accountability. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike in support of the campaign and was taken to hospital after his condition deteriorated.
Tensions peaked on July 20 when protesters attempted to march towards Parliament. Police used tear gas and batons as sections of the crowd pushed against barricades. Protesters and police personnel were injured, while the authorities said crowd-control measures became necessary after clashes broke out.
Pradhan resigned on July 25, saying he respected the aspirations and expectations of young people and wanted to prevent the situation from being exploited. His departure marked a significant political victory for the protest movement.
The government subsequently announced measures aimed at rebuilding confidence in public examinations. These included a task force headed by technology entrepreneur Nandan Nilekani to examine the testing system and proposed amendments providing stronger penalties for organised cheating and paper leaks.
The reforms are expected to cover examination security, question-paper distribution, digital safeguards, testing-centre management and the accountability of agencies contracted to conduct high-stakes assessments.
Dipke’s latest remarks suggest the CJP intends to maintain pressure until the assurances that persuaded protesters to leave Jantar Mantar are translated into formal decisions.
He also used the appearance to set out a wider education agenda. Dipke defended reservation in educational institutions and called on the government to increase the number of seats rather than portraying access as a contest between reserved and unreserved categories.
He questioned why reservation was frequently blamed for shrinking opportunities while management quotas attracted less scrutiny. Expanding capacity, he argued, would allow more students from disadvantaged and general categories to enter higher education.
Dipke also sought tighter regulation of fees charged by private schools and colleges. Rising education costs have become a key concern for households as demand for professional courses continues to exceed the capacity of publicly funded institutions.
The CJP emerged from an online campaign that used the cockroach as a symbol of young people who believed they were being dismissed or ignored by established institutions. Its mobilisation blended satire with demands concerning examination integrity, unemployment and access to education.
(IPA Service)
