Politics · 2026-10-17 · Morning briefing

Modi faces crisis as youth protests surge across India

Street protests across India have reached their highest level in a decade, creating what analysts call the most significant crisis for Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he took power in 2014. The demonstrations are driven by widespread anger among young people over a failure to create jobs, despite strong headline economic growth. People under 30 constitute nearly a quarter of India's one billion voters.

While official data puts national unemployment just above 5%, the rate for the 367 million people aged 15-29 is 9.9%. For recent graduates, the figure is starker: nearly 40% of those aged 15-25 are jobless. Unrest intensified in May after national medical college exams were invalidated due to leaked papers, a key route to employment for the middle class.

The protests have been galvanised by a new movement, the Cockroach Janta Party, which grew from online satire into a national campaign in June. The opposition Congress party has also been re-energised on the streets. Mr. Modi’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party declined to comment on the demonstrations.

Summary written by Cup of News with AI from the sources below. Check the originals for the full story.

Read the sources

• Analysis-Modi's predicament: Gen Z pours out on India's streets as dissent surges
• India detains thousands of youth protesters as anger grows against Modi and election chief
• India cracks down on youth protests as anger grows against Modi and election chief
• Can India’s ‘cockroach’ movement oust Modi’s election chief?
• Modi Faces Protest Threat Over Election Commission Scandal

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