Hunger strike in India intensifies

Sonam Wangchuk has long campaigned for the reform of India’s corrupt and inefficient system of entrance exams for higher education. That issue is also central to the recently formed Cockroach Janata Party protest movement, led by people decades younger than Wangchuk, who is 59-years-old. In India, millions of students compete vigorously for a small number of university seats via high-stakes entrance exams. The pressure is extreme, and thousands of students have committed suicide over failing. Making matters worse, questions are often leaked in advance, which can lead to cancellations. Wangchuk and the CJP want to overhaul both the nature and the management of the exams and expand students’ rights to compensation in the event of cancellations.