A supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) raises slogans at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Thursday, demanding the resignation of India’s education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan.
Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images
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Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images
Šumit Ganguly is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is a distinguished professor of political science emeritus at Indiana University, Bloomington.
In September 2025, the Nepalese government blocked 26 widely used social media platforms, accusing them of not adhering to new rules targeting misinformation and online hate speech. Critics, however, saw this as a tactic to silence viral videos that exposed the extravagant lifestyles of politicians and their privileged offspring. The move sparked mass protests, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli within days.
Just a year earlier, in August 2024, a student-led protest in Bangladesh resulted in the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The protests were triggered by a High Court decision to uphold a policy reserving 30% of government jobs for descendants of those who fought in the 1971 independence war. Similar to Nepal, Bangladesh’s Gen Z spearheaded the movement.
These uprisings reveal a common issue: while elite privilege persists, opportunities for the youth are diminishing. In each instance, a specific event served as a catalyst, exposing underlying grievances.
Now, similar issues are surfacing in India, which boasts the world’s largest young population. Despite India’s economic growth, parallels with Nepal and Bangladesh are emerging. A recent report from Azim Premji University highlights that nearly 40% of graduates aged 15 to 25 and 20% of those aged 25 to 29 are unemployed.
On Saturday, Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s education minister, stepped down amid intense student protests over widespread exam paper leaks. Earlier, Chief Justice Surya Kant faced backlash for comments that were perceived as likening jobless youth to “cockroaches.” Although he later claimed his words were misunderstood, the damage was done. The remark had already become a rallying call for young Indians.
A protester holds a placard after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following nationwide protests as part of the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest movement in Mumbai, India, on Saturday.
Ashish Vaishnav/AP
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Ashish Vaishnav/AP
Why is the pattern repeating?
What is causing this recurring pattern across the most populous region on Earth? There are three key factors that may explain why South Asia’s Gen Z is reaching a breaking point.
First, while much of South Asia has seen significant economic growth, this wealth has not equated to equality and opportunities. In Bangladesh, the top 10% hold 58.4% of the nation’s wealth, while the bottom 50% possess only 4.7%, according to data from the Paris-based World Inequality Lab.
In Nepal, where 56% of the population is under 30, approximately 20% of those aged 15–24 were unemployed last year. Many of these young people are college graduates with high career expectations, facing an uncertain future.
Second, corruption in official circles has fueled frustrations among young South Asians. From favoritism in job access in Bangladesh to exam paper leaks in India, many young people believe the meritocracy is failing. A 23-year-old Indian protester recently told NPR, “The [exam] papers are being leaked, the rich are paying for their children to pass, and [we] poor people are being left behind … Where are we supposed to go?”
Students shout slogans during a protest demanding the trial of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Aug. 13, 2024.
Rajib Dhar/AP
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Students shout slogans during a protest demanding the trial of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Aug. 13, 2024.
Rajib Dhar/AP
Finally, widespread internet access has not only made the population more informed about their democratic rights, it has also raised aspirations and given protesting youth a powerful tool to overcome the collective action problems that often plague social movements. Attempts to restrict online discussion can backfire. In Nepal last year, authorities’ efforts to suppress the use of social media only intensified public anger and drove mass mobilization.
The dark side of the demographic dividend
For now, student leaders in New Delhi have temporarily paused demonstrations in “good faith” following Pradhan’s resignation over the weekend.
But their underlying resentments will not easily dissipate. Real stability relies on the genuine efforts by the ruling class to address the systemic lack of opportunities facing the young population.
Across South Asia, leaders have long boasted about their demographic dividend. They are now discovering its darker side as well: a demographic dividend can easily become a demographic reckoning.
