India’s Education Minister Resigns After Youth-Led Protests Over Exam Leaks
India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, ending weeks of nationwide youth-led demonstrations that had demanded he take responsibility for examination paper leaks. The announcement, made on social media platform X, was met with celebrations at the protest site in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where thousands had gathered for 36 days, as reported by multiple outlets including Al Jazeera, BBC, Dawn, Deutsche Welle, and South China Morning Post.
In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan said he was stepping down to prevent “anti-national forces” from exploiting the situation, preserve national unity, and ensure that no student’s future gets entangled in legal complications. “Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, so that antinational forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to the Prime Minister,” he wrote, as quoted in various reports. He added that he “deeply respects the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of the country’s youth.”
The protests, organized by the self-named Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), were triggered after India’s chief justice described some unemployed youth turning to journalism and activism as “cockroaches.” The CJP’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, turned the insult into a movement, quickly gaining millions of followers online. The group demanded education reforms, compensation for affected students, and the withdrawal of cases against protesters. According to reports, the government accepted these demands, prompting the CJP to call off the demonstrations.
Minutes after Pradhan’s resignation, Dipke told the crowd at Jantar Mantar, “We have done it,” as cheering erupted. The announcement came just as police fired tear gas to disperse some protesters in Delhi, hours before leaders were scheduled to hold another round of talks with ministers. The CJP welcomed the resignation on its X account with the message: “Cockroaches won.. Democracy won!”
Amid the celebrations, Dipke also reiterated two remaining demands: compensation of 10 million Indian rupees for the families of every student who died by suicide after the exam leak, and continued pressure for broader changes. “We won’t go like this,” he said, pointing to a banner honoring 20 students who reportedly took their own lives.
Government Response and New Measures
According to reports, the government, after renewed talks, accepted the CJP’s demands and announced the establishment of fast-track courts and the introduction of a new law addressing examination paper leaks. Pradhan’s resignation was one of the central demands of the protesters, who had also called for an overhaul of the examination system.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), spoke in defense of Pradhan, saying that for the BJP, youth and students are more important than any post. Shah’s comments were reported by Deutsche Welle, which noted that he described Pradhan’s tenure as a “testament to his dedication.” Other outlets did not carry this specific defense.