PM Modi thanks youth for overwhelming response to late-night video on exam reforms

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday thanked young people for the overwhelming response to his late-night video on examination reforms, saying their positive feedback had further strengthened his bond with the country's youth.

In a video shared on social media, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude to viewers who engaged with his earlier message. "Thank you, friends. Last night, I got an opportunity to connect with you. The way you responded to the video I had posted and gave positive suggestions, thanks to everybody. Your love will continue, and our relationship will become even stronger," he said.

Video on anti-paper leak law

The latest message came a day after PM Modi posted a nearly three-minute video at 11.52 pm on Thursday announcing that the Union Cabinet would consider a draft law proposing fast-track courts and stricter punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks.

The video quickly gained traction across social media, crossing 2.5 million views within eight minutes of being posted. It also received more than one million likes on Instagram within 20 minutes, while the Prime Minister gained nearly one million new followers on the platform overnight.

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Calling examination paper leaks a serious issue, PM Modi said such incidents had caused immense pain to lakhs of students and their families. He assured that the government was committed to introducing the proposed legislation during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament at the earliest.

"This is not a minor issue. It has caused immense pain to lakhs of students and their parents," the Prime Minister said, adding that the government's immediate priority after the alleged NEET paper leak controversy was to ensure students did not lose an academic year.

Government continues talks

Even as the Centre moves ahead with legislative measures, it has continued discussions with representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been leading protests over the NEET paper leak issue.

The government and CJP held their third round of talks in New Delhi on Friday and agreed to meet again on Saturday. However, the two sides remained divided over the protesters' demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

CJP leaders described Pradhan's resignation as a "non-negotiable" demand and said the agitation would continue until it was met. Government sources, however, indicated that the minister's resignation was not under consideration and that discussions would instead focus on the protesters' other demands.

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Besides seeking Pradhan's resignation, the CJP has demanded a public apology to students allegedly assaulted during the July 20 march to Parliament, ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide after the cancellation of the May 3 NEET examination, and the withdrawal of FIRs and other legal cases registered against protesters.

Following the nearly two-hour meeting, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said the government had responded positively to the demands relating to compensation and withdrawal of cases, while Union Health Minister J P Nadda said the Centre would respond after internal consultations before the next round of talks.

Instagram outreach

Separately, sources said PM Modi urged his Cabinet colleagues to become more active on Instagram and other social media platforms to better connect with young people.

During Friday's Cabinet meeting, he reportedly asked ministers how many of them actively use Instagram and stressed that a large section of India's youth spends time on the platform. According to sources, the Prime Minister encouraged ministers to leverage social media more effectively to communicate government initiatives and engage directly with younger audiences.

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