The protests, led by the Cockroach Janata Party at Jantar Mantar in the Indian capital, intensified after July 20 clashes during a march towards Parliament, when police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse demonstrators.

According to Indian media, hundreds of thousands of students have joined the movement, demanding action over alleged paper leaks in competitive examinations, including medical entrance tests, reforms to the education system, and greater transparency in recruitment for government jobs.

Superstar Salman Khan expressed sadness over the violence, saying the movement had begun peacefully.

“It was such a peaceful movement, feel so sad that it had to take a violent turn. My heart goes out to the students and their families who were hurt,” he wrote on social media.

Calling paper leaks “a very serious issue”, Khan said he was encouraged to see students unite for a better education system with the support of their parents.

He urged that the movement should not be politicised, adding that the credit belonged to the students and expressing hope that the government would support efforts to strengthen the country’s education system.

Actor Alia Bhatt also shared a message of solidarity on Instagram, writing that recent events had “broken my heart and then mended it, again and again, with hope.”

She praised the determination of the protesters, saying every student represented not only their own dreams but also the hopes and sacrifices of their families.

“Their courage humbles me. Their resolve is a mirror held up to all of us,” she wrote, adding, “For the students. By the students. The future is theirs.”

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah strongly criticised the police response, saying students should not lose hope and warning that governments are ultimately held accountable for their actions.

He also criticised prominent Bollywood figures who had remained silent, suggesting that personal interests had outweighed their willingness to speak out.

Veteran actor Kamal Haasan also backed the protesters, saying authorities should have acted earlier instead of waiting until the crisis escalated. He argued that an education system in which coaching centres replace learning and crime replaces merit had become fundamentally broken.

Actor Prakash Raj criticised the silence of several leading film stars, saying such movements reveal who stands with the public. He said history may forgive those who make mistakes but not those who choose to remain silent.

Actor Imran Khan joined a march with children in Mumbai, saying he was supporting students whose years of hard work had been undermined.

Singer Diljit Dosanjh described the reported treatment of students as unfortunate and urged authorities to listen to the public.

Meanwhile, veteran actor Anupam Kher adopted a more cautious position. While expressing support for students, he warned that political opportunists and outside elements should not be allowed to exploit the movement.

Actress Preity Zinta also backed students’ rights and appealed to activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike.

Actor and parliamentarian Kangana Ranaut defended the government, saying it was making every possible effort to address the issue and arguing that demands for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation were unjustified.

Several other prominent figures, including Shabana Azmi, Ratna Pathak Shah, Swara Bhasker, Sonu Sood, Dia Mirza, Rajkummar Rao, Richa Chadha, Anurag Kashyap, Dulquer Salmaan, Pooja Bhatt, Huma Qureshi and Arijit Singh, have also praised the students’ determination and called for a peaceful resolution through dialogue.

According to Indian media, the Cockroach Janata Party has vowed to continue the protests until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. The government has deployed additional paramilitary forces in New Delhi, while Prime Minister Modi has announced fast-track courts to hear cases related to examination paper leaks.

Student leaders say their movement is no longer focused on a single examination or government, but on what they describe as a system that has jeopardised the future of millions of young people.

The government, however, maintains that police personnel were also attacked during the demonstrations and says legal action will be taken against those responsible for violating the law.