NEET, CBSE Row: AISF activists protest outside Chennai office, display ‘CJP’ placards

Members of the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) protested outside the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) regional office in Anna Nagar on Monday, June 8. They demanded action over alleged irregularities in CBSE exams and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) question paper leak.

The protest, led by AISF South Chennai district secretary Manikandan, started around 11 am. Police said that 16 people, including two women, took part in the protest.

The protesters demanded that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign and raised slogans against the Union government. They also held placards with messages like “Modi fails, students pass” and criticised how exam-related issues were handled.

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Police disperse protest

Some protesters also carried placards showing what they called “ Cockroach Janata Party ” symbols as a way to criticise the ruling party.

Police said the organisers did not get prior permission to hold the protest at that location. After getting information about the gathering, Anna Nagar Inspector Siva Senthil Kumar and his team reached the CBSE regional office and stepped in to control the situation.

The police told the protesters that they needed permission to hold a protest in front of the CBSE office. After that, the protesters were asked to leave the area and were dispersed.

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Why did AISF hold the protest?

The protest comes amid continuing political and student-led criticism over the conduct of national-level examinations, particularly the NEET and CBSE examinations. Several student organisations have raised concerns over examination management and transparency, while demanding stronger safeguards to protect students' interests.

The “Cockroach Janata Party” (CJP) is not an official political party. It is a satirical campaign used by critics of the BJP on social media and during protests. The name and symbols are used to mock the ruling party and show disagreement with its policies. AISF members used CJP placards during Monday’s protest to criticise the Union government’s handling of education-related issues.