India’s Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned, submitting his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the face of sustained student protests. The announcement came just hours before the third round of talks between the central government and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), the student-led movement spearheading the demonstrations.
For more than a month, students have staged a sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, with one of their central demands being Pradhan’s removal. Negotiations between the government and CJP had stalled repeatedly over this issue. On Saturday morning, CJP leaders declared they would not participate in further talks unless the minister stepped down.
Pradhan confirmed his resignation in a post on social media platform X, writing: “I have deep respect for the aspirations, emotions, and rightful expectations of this country’s youth. Fulfilling the dreams of India’s young generation is our moral commitment in political and social life. I express my sincere gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation under visionary leadership.”
Protesters’ Demands
The student movement had outlined three key demands:
- Resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
- Assurance that no legal action would be taken against protesting students
- Compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the NEET exam paper leak
On Friday, the government had agreed to the latter two demands but remained silent on the minister’s resignation. With Pradhan’s departure, reports indicate that all major demands of the protesters have now been met.
