New Delhi [India], July 25 – India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday after weeks of nationwide protests over exam paper leaks and testing irregularities, prompting jubilant celebrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, the epicentre of the student-led movement.
As news of the resignation spread, thousands of protesters gathered under yellow canopies erupted in cheers, dancing, singing and waving Indian flags marking what many described as a major victory for the movement.
Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announced the decision publicly on X, ending weeks of mounting pressure over allegations of irregularities in the NEET examination and paper leaks.
The protests were spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical campaign that evolved into a nationwide movement. Demonstrations became one of the largest displays of public dissent against the Modi government in recent years with thousands camping in Delhi as protests spread across the country.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the CJP posted a video on Instagram capturing the moment he learned of Pradhan’s resignation. In the three-minute clip, Dipke takes a phone call before announcing to the crowd, “We have done it!”, triggering loud cheers and raised fists.
Addressing mostly young protesters, Dipke said resignations did not come easily under the current administration but that the movement had proved otherwise.
Negotiations between the CJP and the central government had remained deadlocked over the demand for Pradhan’s resignation. On Saturday morning, the group said there could be no talks unless the government removed the education minister.
The protesters’ key demands included Pradhan’s resignation, no legal action against student protesters and compensation for the families of students who, they said died by suicide after the NEET paper leak. According to the protesters, the government had agreed in principle on Friday to the latter two demands but had not responded to the call for Pradhan’s resignation.
Despite the celebrations, Dipke urged supporters not to treat the resignation as the end of the movement. He said the campaign would continue until the remaining demands including compensation for affected families and an end to police action against protesters were fulfilled.
The movement gained further momentum last week after activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly taken to hospital bringing an end to his 26-day hunger strike on Friday. Public anger also intensified following a police crackdown on protesters marching towards Parliament.
