NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed “stringent punishment” on Thursday for anyone involved in leaking exam papers, a scandal that has sparked protests challenging his administration.

A series of irregularities has stoked public anger, including a medical entrance paper being leaked — forcing millions to retake the exam — and a failure in an online marking system.

The protest movement has evolved to include concerns over unemployment, opportunities for young people and what critics brand as Modi’s increasingly authoritarian style of governance.