‘Today, we won’: Protesters pack up, head home after 36 days at Jantar Mantar

“I had appeared for UPSC Mains examination in 2017 and 2018 from Delhi, but had to return to Gaya due to financial constraints… Coming here, my goal was to make the government accountable. If a paper has leaked, the government should admit it and take responsibility… If you are mixing 20% ethanol in petrol, admit that.”

“In Bihar, I was preparing for the examination for the post of AEDO (assistant education developmental officer) last month. My exam centre was Aurangabad… I spent my hard-earned money to travel there and while I was returning, I came to know that the question paper had leaked and that the exam had got cancelled,” he added.

Students participate at the protest led by Abhijeet Dipke at Jantar Mantar, at New Delhi on Thursday. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

“I thought of going home many times,” he said. “But what would I return to? A broken education system?”

Kumar said his friends back home had mocked him for staying put at Jantar Mantar. “Today they know why.”

Near him sat Devashish Near (20), a NEET aspirant from Bareilly in UP. It was his first attempt this year, which got cancelled. After taking the re-test on June 21, he took a train to Delhi and has been at the protest site since then.

“In the first exam, I would have got around 560, but in the re-test, I only managed 410… My parents told me that if we don’t raise our voice now, it will be buried deep down, and that’s why I’m here.”

“Today we won,” he said, adding that he will now return home and begin preparing for another attempt at NEET.

Jantar Mantar also drew people who were not appearing for any competitive examinations. Ajitha K (76) travelled from Kozhikode three days ago. “I came to feel the excitement here,” she said, adding that protesters have been stopping to thank her for staying put despite the massive crowd and the heat.

Gurgaon-based homemaker Malika has come with her 11-year-old son.

“I want to thank GenZ. It is a shame that it (resignation) took so long. I brought my son, a Gen Alpha, to support his elder brothers and sisters.”

“This is not about any government or party, this is about accountability… people have to admit when they are wrong,” she added.

Md Naved Khan, who has studied up to Class 12, cannot forget the July 20 police action. Injured during the clashes, he received four stitches before returning to help rebuild the stage at Jantar Mantar.

“The policeman who hit me wore a mask. Two hours after I was taken to the hospital, I returned here.”

At the medical camp run by volunteers at the site, NEET aspirant Krishna Biswas (19) spent his days assisting doctors with dressing wounds and distributing medicines. He is now hopeful that reforms will follow in the education centre.

Among those celebrating was Sooraj Elamon (26), a PhD scholar at Jamia Millia Islamia and Delhi State president of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), who has been at the protest since Day 1. “This is a true reflection of what a student movement can lead to,” he said.

As evening fell, the protest site slowly changed. Many volunteers were seen urging people to clear the venue. One of them was Maanvir
(28) from Madhya Pradesh, who had been at Jantar Mantar since the protest started.

As he kept making announcements repeatedly on a loudspeaker, urging people to leave, streams of protesters walked out of the project site carrying backpacks, rolled-up bedding, placards and flags.

Metro services had restarted, roads had reopened and security personnel were leaving the area.

It was time to go home.