Delhi Breathes Easy as NEET Protest Ends: Internet and Metro Back Online

After nearly a month of clamor over alleged leaks in the NEET‑UG exam, the streets around Jantar Mantar finally quieted down. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which had set up a sprawling encampment, announced on Thursday that it was withdrawing its agitation – a move it described as being taken in "good faith" after the centre gave its assurances.

Those assurances? A promise to compensate families of NEET aspirants who tragically took their own lives, and a pledge to pull back the FIRs that had been filed against protesters across the country. Union Minister JP Nadda even said the government would study the CJP’s five‑point charter on exam reforms, hinting at a possible overhaul of the testing system.

And with the protest officially over, the tech blackout that had crippled mobile internet in central Delhi lifted like a fog clearing at sunrise. Residents around Jantar Mantar reported their phones buzzing back to life, and social‑media feeds that had been eerily silent began to fill with photos of the empty camps and cheers from students.

Not to be outdone, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation opened all its gates again. After days of staggered closures at key stations – Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, ITO, and New Delhi among them – commuters could finally board trains without queuing for hours. The DMRC posted a brief note: "Entry gates of all Metro stations are now open," a line that sparked a wave of relieved sighs across the city.

Police, however, sounded a note of caution. A traffic advisory on X (formerly Twitter) warned citizens to steer clear of the New Delhi belt, where lingering crowds and snarled traffic could still cause headaches. "Use alternative routes to avoid delays," the statement read, a reminder that the city’s rhythm often takes a beat before settling back to normal.

Perhaps the most dramatic fallout was the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He handed in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing the need to prevent “anti‑national forces” from hijacking the students’ legitimate grievances. His departure has been hailed by many as a symbolic win for the youth, even as the political wheels keep turning.

In short, Delhi is exhaling. The streets are less crowded, Wi‑Fi is back, trains are humming, and the echoes of protest chants have faded. Whether the promised reforms will materialise remains to be seen, but for now, the city enjoys a hard‑won, if tentative, peace.