Minister announces resignation
India’s Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has resigned from his position following days of youth-led protests over alleged problems linked to major examinations and demands for changes in the country’s education system.
Thousands of young protesters had taken to the streets in New Delhi and other parts of India, calling for reforms and asking the minister to step down over complaints about irregularities in exams that affect the future of millions of students.
The demonstrations were organised under the social media-backed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which said the education sector needed urgent reforms and accountability.
Pradhan announced that he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi before another round of discussions between government officials and protest leaders.
Following the minister’s decision, CJP leaders said they would end the demonstrations after reaching an agreement with authorities on their demands.
The protests had continued for several days at the Jantar Mantar area in central New Delhi. Police had earlier used tear gas and batons to stop some protesters who attempted to march towards the parliament building.
Government representatives held meetings with the protest organisers on Monday and Friday, but the discussions initially failed to resolve the dispute as the youth movement maintained its demands.
The minister’s resignation came before a third meeting was scheduled to take place.
Pradhan said his decision was aimed at protecting the interests of young people and preventing further tension over the issue.
Protesters celebrated after news of the resignation spread, with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke telling supporters that their efforts had produced results.
The movement had grown beyond complaints about examination issues, with participants also raising concerns about unemployment, opportunities for young people and wider issues surrounding governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
The protests became one of the biggest challenges faced by Modi’s government since he returned to office after the 2024 election.
Among the protesters’ demands were compensation for students affected by examination problems and the withdrawal of legal cases filed against some demonstrators.
India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi also backed the protesters, describing the resignation as an important development and calling on the government to address students’ concerns.
A 27-year-old protester who visited the demonstration site after the minister’s resignation said the atmosphere was filled with excitement and praised the young people who took part in the movement.
