Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces fast-track courts to punish paper-leak case accused
- Student protests continue in New Delhi and across nation
- Cockroach Janta Party urges peaceful demonstrations amid clashes
Here’s a roundup of the biggest headlines from India on Thursday, July 23:
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Skip next section Modi directs fast-track courts for paper leak case, vows ‘stringent’ punishment07/23/2026July 23, 2026
Modi directs fast-track courts for paper leak case, vows ‘stringent’ punishment
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, vowed “strict and stringent” punishment for those involved in leaking entrance exam papers, while announcing fast-track courts for those accused.
“Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared,” Modi said in a post on X, without addressing the massive protests which have gripped the capital.
“Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard. This continues our series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students,” he wrote.
Students, political pressure group Cockroach Janta Party and several opposition parties continue to demonstrate against Modi’s education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in central Delhi and several cities across the nation.
Their central demand is Pradhan’s resignation — in lieu of accountability for the failures of the education system including a leaked medical entrance exam in May which impacted over 2 million students.
Exam paper leaks have long been a regular occurrence in India. Modi’s government passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act in 2024 but have failed to safeguard question papers in the may exams.
The protests are now being viewed as an increasing risk to Modi’s 12-year rule in India.
In response to Modi’s post, the Cockroack Janta Party simply said: “Dharmendra Pradhan Must Resign.”
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https://p.dw.com/p/5HbkRSkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/23/2026July 23, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Mahima Kapoor | Dmytro Hubenko Editor
Hello and welcome to DW’s India news blog!
This is Mahima Kapoor reporting from the New Delhi bureau and I will be your guide through the day’s biggest headlines from the country.
Student protesters continue to demonstrate against Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi and several cities across India. That’s despite strict police crackdown on protesters and growing concerns that violent miscreants are trying to hijack the movement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a fast-track court to punish those responsible for the medical entrance exam question paper leaks — one of the events that mobilized angry students. He said this without directly addressing the protesting students.
Meanwhile, India’s film fraternity is increasingly speaking up on the issue.
Stay tuned for all of this and more.
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