The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Saturday, 25 July made clear that no further dialogue with the Centre would be meaningful unless Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns — a stance the party hardened just hours before the third round of government-opposition talks on the NEET paper leak crisis. The party said it welcomed the government's proposed legislative reforms but insisted that ministerial accountability was non-negotiable.

CJP's Core Demand

CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka told reporters on Saturday morning that the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan remained the party's primary condition. 'In yesterday's meeting, we received a positive response regarding compensation and legal cases. We got an in-principle agreement, and we hope to receive the written agreement today as well. However, there has still been no concrete decision on our main demand — the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan,' Ranka said.

He went further, responding directly to media reports suggesting Pradhan would not step down. 'If Dharmendra Pradhan is not going to resign, then please tell us what the point of holding such meetings is? In that case, we will move ahead with whatever strategy we decide on next,' Ranka added.

Previous Rounds of Talks

The second round of talks was held on Friday at the Constitution Club, where Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh met the CJP delegation. The government had indicated it would revert on the party's demands — an assurance the CJP said yielded only partial progress. Compensation and legal case redressal received an in-principle nod, but the ministerial resignation question remained unresolved.

NTA Overhaul and Government Response

Amid mounting pressure over the paper leak row, the government has replaced the Education Secretary and sacked 47 officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA). The CJP, however, dismissed these steps as insufficient. Ranka said the party would scrutinise which officials were suspended and the intent behind the action, but reiterated that 'ultimate accountability lies with the Education Minister of this country because he is directly responsible for all the paper leaks and for all the students who died by suicide after the NEET paper leak.'

Cabinet Approves Stricter Anti-Paper-Leak Law

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Parliament House complex, on Friday approved a Draft Bill proposing significantly tougher penalties under The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. For organised paper leaks, the proposed amendments prescribe a jail term of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of ₹10 crore — a sharp escalation from the existing provisions of three to five years' imprisonment for individuals and five to ten years with a minimum fine of ₹1 crore for organised offences.

This legislative move followed PM Modi's public commitment to fast-track courts and enhanced penalties to protect students' futures. The CJP acknowledged these reforms as a step forward, but maintained they do not substitute for direct ministerial accountability.

What Comes Next

With the third round of talks scheduled for Saturday, the CJP has signalled it will reassess its protest strategy if no firm commitment on Pradhan's resignation emerges. The standoff reflects a broader national reckoning with examination integrity, student welfare, and institutional accountability — issues that have drawn sustained public attention since the NEET paper leak triggered student suicides and nationwide protests.