NEET protests: From PM Modi’s assurance to Sonam Wangchuk’s quick end – What happened in last 24 hours | Today’s news

The Union government has taken several steps in the past 24 hours, apparently to ease the growing anger over the NEET paper leak controversy, as students intensify their protests and demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Amid these efforts, activist Sonam Wangchuk ended her hunger strike at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram in the presence of two Union Ministers.

Read also | CJP LIVE protest news: Sonam Wangchuk ends fast, Prime Minister’s rare midnight news

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi made two announcements — one on X and the other through a self-recorded video — the government appointed IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as secretary in the higher education department under the education ministry, replacing incumbent Vineet Joshi.

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The Indian government has set up a fast-track court to deal with NEET paper leak cases and appointed a new secretary for the higher education ministry. PM Modi also announced stricter measures against the paper leak and promised swift justice for the culprits.

Students are protesting against Dharmendra Pradhan over allegations of his failure to deal with the NEET paper leaks that have significantly affected hundreds of thousands of students and their families.

Prime Minister Modi responded by addressing the issue on social media, announcing new laws for stiff penalties for paper leaks and stressing the government’s commitment to fast-track legal proceedings against the culprits.

Sonam Wangchuk ended her hunger strike after lengthy negotiations with the government and fears of possible violence, indicating the need for a solution during the ongoing protests.

Many students and activists, including the Cockroach Janta Party, believe the protests should continue until all demands are met, including Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and accountability for the NEET paper leak.

The government has set up a fast-track trial at Rouse Avenue Court in the state capital to look into the paper leak cases. The move came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it in a social media post on Thursday morning.

PM Modi’s announcement came as crowds continued to gather around Jantar Mantar – the main site of protests in Delhi. The Janta cockroach party protest began on June 20. Students are demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over a series of setbacks, including leaked test questions in NEET – the country’s biggest medical entrance exam.

Read also | CJP, Center to hold interviews today at Delhi’s Constitution Club | Details

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the fresh offer overnight as students prepared nationwide protests on Friday, with growing demands for the education minister to resign.

Prime Minister Modi posted a video on his X account late Thursday, saying the paper leak was “not a trivial matter” and “extremely painful” for hundreds of thousands of students and their parents. He said the culprits had been caught and his government was pushing for “speedy trials and severe punishments”.

“Tougher measures against paper leakage will come in tomorrow’s cabinet.”

Modi also said the Center was preparing a new law to curb the leak of trial documents and announced that the Speedy Trials and Severe Punishment Bill would be passed by the Union Cabinet on Friday before being introduced in Parliament during the monsoon session.

“The paper leak is not an insignificant problem. It has caused immense pain to thousands of students and their parents,” the prime minister said.

Between the two announcements, the government reassigned Education Minister Vineet Joshi. IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar has been appointed as Secretary in the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, an official government notification said late on Thursday. Joshi was transferred as Secretary in the Panchayati Raj Ministry.

Protesting students are demanding accountability and education reforms.

The government also tried to talk to the CJP representatives. In the afternoon, Union Minister Jitendra Singh invited the CJP for another round of talks. The CJP insisted on a neutral venue. Now reports suggest that the talks will take place at the Constitution Club in central Delhi.

Wangchuk ended his hunger strike

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday evening ended her 26-day hunger strike at a hospital in the presence of Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, marking a major development amid ongoing nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

“This was done after long negotiations on various terms and conditions and in view of possible violence in the country,” Sonam said in a post on Thursday evening as he shared pictures with Union ministers.

Read also | BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi condemns police crackdown on CJP protesters

In another post, PM Modi urged Sonam Wangchuk to follow her routine as advised by doctors and regain her old weight as soon as possible.

“Praying to Lord to keep Sonam ji healthy,” Modi tweeted late at night.

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) lamented on Thursday that the prime minister, through his swift judicial notice, focused on redress after the damage was done rather than addressing the root cause. Its founder Abhijeet Dipke welcomed Sonam’s decision to quit quickly, but vowed to continue the protests until Dharmendra Pradhan steps down.

The CJP reiterated that it will continue its protests until the government accepts its demands for the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, ₹1 million in compensation to the families of children who died by suicide and no prosecution of peaceful protesters during the July 20 march to Parliament.