The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday, 1 September directed the quashing of First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against student protesters across Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, and other states, in connection with demonstrations held between 20 and 25 July over the NEET paper leak controversy. The order drew an immediate welcome from the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), which had been at the forefront of the agitation and had engaged in sustained dialogue with the Union government to secure the relief.

CJP's Response and What It Secured

Saurav Das, chief spokesperson of the CJP, told reporters that protecting students' futures was the organisation's primary concern. 'The youth have an entire future ahead of them, and we could not let that get affected due to FIRs and police action,' Das said. He added that CJP had been holding talks with a high-level government delegation since the joint press conference addressed by Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh on 25 July, at which two key demands were tabled: compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the NEET paper leak, and withdrawal of FIRs filed against protesters nationwide.

Das noted that notifications had subsequently been issued in several states assuring that the FIRs would be withdrawn and no future action taken against the protesters. However, he said written assurances from the Union government — including a formal commitment on compensation from Delhi Police and other central agencies — had not been received ahead of Tuesday's court hearing.

Supreme Court Order and Judicial Sanctity

The Supreme Court's order went beyond procedural relief. According to Das, the government gave an assurance before the Court that compensation — in what he described as an 'honourable amount' — would be paid to the families of NEET victims within 90 days, with funds to be credited directly to their bank accounts. 'The government gave this assurance to the Supreme Court today, and the Court accepted it, granting it judicial sanctity by incorporating it into its order,' Das stated. This effectively converts a political commitment into a court-enforceable undertaking.

Resignation of Education Minister Flagged as a Milestone

Das also highlighted the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on 25 July as a significant outcome of the student movement. He described it as 'a very big victory for the youth of the country,' framing it as a moment of accountability that the protests had helped bring about. This comes amid sustained public pressure over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination, which sparked protests in multiple states.

September 5 Protest March Called Off

With the Supreme Court order in place and government assurances secured, the CJP announced it was calling off a planned protest march scheduled for 5 September from India Gate to the new Police Headquarters in New Delhi. 'We are calling off our peaceful protest march because the government has accepted all our demands,' Das declared. The decision signals a de-escalation after weeks of sustained street pressure, though the movement's leadership indicated it would monitor compliance with the court's directions. Whether the compensation commitments are honoured within the stipulated 90-day window will be the next test of the government's resolve.