New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Cabinet on Saturday, bringing a dramatic turn to the month-long nationwide agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy.
Pradhan announced his resignation through a post on X, hours before the scheduled third round of talks between representatives of the Centre and the CJP. His resignation had been the principal demand of students and youth protesters who have been camping at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for over a month.
The negotiations between the government and the CJP had remained deadlocked over the demand for Pradhan’s removal. While the Centre had earlier agreed in principle to two of the protesters’ demands—assuring that no legal action would be taken against peaceful protesters and stating that it was positively considering compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak—it had not taken a position on Pradhan’s resignation until Saturday.
In his statement, Pradhan said he held “deep respect for the aspirations, sentiments and rightful expectations of the youth of this country” and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him the opportunity to serve as Education Minister. He said his decision was guided by the larger interests of students and the nation.
“Keeping in mind that anti-national forces should not take advantage of the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, that the unity of the nation remains intact, that the future of even a single student of India does not get entangled in legal complications, and that our children devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers, I have submitted my resignation to the Hon’ble Prime Minister,” Pradhan wrote.
He further said that it remained his resolve that the country’s youth should not be trapped in confusion and uncertainty.
News of the resignation sparked celebrations at the protest site at Jantar Mantar, where thousands of students and supporters have been demonstrating since late June. Protesters raised slogans, waved flags and hailed the development as a major victory for the movement.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced the resignation from the protest stage, declaring that the students’ movement had achieved what many believed was impossible.
“They used to say that no one resigns in this government. But we have done it,” Dipke said. In a post on X, the CJP described the development as a triumph of student power, writing: “Long Live Student Power.”
However, Dipke clarified that the agitation would not end with Pradhan’s resignation. He said the organisation would continue its protest until its remaining demands are fulfilled.
According to Dipke, the CJP is seeking compensation of ₹1 crore for each family of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy. The organisation has also demanded action against police personnel over the crackdown on protesters during the march towards Parliament on July 20.
“We have two more demands. We won’t go like this,” Dipke said, reiterating that accountability for the police action and compensation for affected families remain central to the movement.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had ended his 26-day hunger strike after receiving written assurances from the Centre earlier this week, also welcomed the resignation.
Calling it “a victory of democracy”, Wangchuk said the outcome reflected the strength of peaceful and democratic public participation. “It’s a victory of peace, patience and perseverance. Congratulations CJP, Gen Z of the nation and thank you to all citizens for shedding fear and rising up from every corner of the country,” he wrote on X.
Wangchuk added that the movement should now focus on achieving systemic reforms in the country’s examination and education system.
The student agitation, which began over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and the NEET paper leak controversy, has spread to several cities across the country over the past month. It also drew support from Opposition parties, which repeatedly demanded Pradhan’s resignation and sought accountability from the government.
With the resignation of the Education Minister, attention is now expected to shift to the Centre’s response to the remaining demands of the protesters, including compensation for affected families, action over the alleged police excesses during the Parliament march, and broader reforms aimed at preventing future examination irregularities.
