NEET exam leak linked to 20+ suicides
A leak of India's NEET medical school entrance exam has been linked to more than 20 suicides among students who had been preparing for the test.
Snapshot · Economist Podcasts
Cockroaches 1, Modi 0: India’s remarkable protests
Explore episode
Jul 27, 2026
Where this was said
Origins of the Cockroach Janta Party
At 3:38 · chapter starts 2:30
The movement's origin story is almost implausibly humble: a tweet posted by a student in Boston in response to India's Chief Justice apparently comparing jobless youth to cockroaches. That tweet — 'What if all cockroaches came together?' — morphed from meme to movement with startling speed. [1] — Kira Huju "CJP Instagram followers: 27 million: The Cockroach Janta Party movement had amassed 27 million Instagram followers at the time of reporting…" 03:15 By the time of Kira Huju's reporting, the Cockroach Janta Party's Instagram account had 27 million followers, populated with AI-generated images of fist-raising cockroaches set to Hindi rap. But beneath the comedic aesthetic was a serious grievance: the NEET medical entrance exam leak had upended the dreams of more than 2 million students and had been linked to more than 20 suicides. [2] — Kira Huju "NEET exam leak linked to 20+ suicides: A leak of India's NEET medical school entrance exam has been linked to more than 20 suicides among s…" 03:38 India's exam culture is brutally competitive, good-quality colleges are scarce, and even those who navigate the system find few jobs waiting for them at the other end — a perfect storm of grievance that the cockroach meme crystallised.
How a Meme About Cockroaches Became a Mass Movement
A single tweet — 'What if all cockroaches came together?' — posted by a student in Boston after India's Chief Justice appeared to compare jobless youth to cockroaches, spawned a satirical meme that mushroomed into a 27-million-follower movement. Underneath the AI images and Hindi rap was a very serious message about corruption, exam leaks, and a generation betrayed.
CJP Instagram followers: 27 million
The Cockroach Janta Party movement had amassed 27 million Instagram followers at the time of reporting, reflecting its rapid viral growth.
Delhi's Biggest Protest in Half a Decade — Then the Crackdown
Tens of thousands — perhaps hundreds of thousands — marched on Delhi in India's largest protest in over half a decade. Students carried copies of the Constitution and dressed as Gandhi to pre-empt BJP accusations of anti-nationalism. Less than three hours later, riot police without name tags attacked them with sticks, tear gas, and pellet guns — a weapon previously reserved for conflict-ridden Kashmir.
Similar snapshots
50% of U.S. adults report being lonely
The U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 report on loneliness found that half of American adults report feeling lonely, marking a widespread epidemic of social isolation.
Brain.fm increased focus brainwave activity by 119%
In a peer-reviewed study, Brain.fm's audio technology was shown to increase focus-related brainwave activity by 119%, according to the show's sponsor read.
Wealthier countries have highest rates of anxiety and depression
The Easterlin Paradox shows that wealthier nations — and the wealthiest neighborhoods within them — tend to have the highest rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicide.
More than 3 in 4 Americans report anxiety or depression
Mental health challenges are nearly universal — BetterHelp's own research found the majority of Americans experiencing symptoms right now.
Medicaid 5-year look-back rule
When applying for Medicaid to cover nursing home costs, there is a 5-year look-back period that can disqualify applicants who gave away or spent down assets.
Pipe broke → hydrogen sulfide studio air
A broken pipe filled the Bad Friends studio with what the hosts identified as hydrogen sulfide — microscopic fecal aeroparticles — that the crew denied smelling.
Robot surgery: 10x less blood loss
Fei-Fei Li's father's liver surgery performed by a da Vinci robot resulted in 10 times less blood loss than a typical open liver surgery, thanks to laparoscopic precision.
115M US adults have prediabetes
Approximately 115 million adults in the US currently have prediabetes, most of whom are unaware, according to the Lingo sponsor segment.
Drug overdose deaths: 110K to 80K to 70K
Drug overdose deaths in the US fell from 110,000 to 80,000 in 2024, and then to roughly 70,000 — the largest single-year drop the CDC has ever recorded.
