The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered states to not take any coercive action against students who participated in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests calling for the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan from the post of Education Minister following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

The police can file a First Information Report (FIR), but no coercive action should be taken for now, the Court said and ordered to release those detained without any antecedents (past cases). The Court, however, excluded individuals with criminal backgrounds and did not give any clarity on the possible action against them.

The directions came while a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was hearing a batch of petitions alleging excessive force by police during protests that began at Jantar Mantar and other places in Delhi and later spread to Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat, Assam, West Bengal and Kerala.