'Cockroaches won': India's education minister resigns after days of youth protests

India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday he has resigned from his position, handing a major victory to youth protesters nationwide who demanded that he quit to take responsibility for examination paper leaks.

India’s biggest street protests of recent years had become a political flashpoint, posing one of the biggest challenges to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as opposition politicians joined youngsters’ calls to demand action and disrupted parliament.

The minister announced his resignation on X just as police fired tear gas to scatter young protesters in Delhi, hours before their leaders were set to hold another round of talks with ministers to push for the move.

In a two-page statement shared on X, Pradhan said he has sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Considering the situation that has developed at Jantar Mantar and across the country — that anti-national forces should not take advantage of this situation, that the unity of the country should be preserved, that not even a single Indian student’s future should get entangled in legal complications, and that our children should devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers — I have sent my resignation to the honourable prime minister,” The Times of India quoted the letter as stating.

The self-named Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) youth movement, which has been at the helm of the protests, welcomed the resignation by stating on its X account, “Cockroaches won.. Democracy won!”

“We have done it,” said CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke to loud cheers at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi.

“This [resignation] is for them,” he said, pointing towards a banner with the pictures of 20 students whom activists say took their lives following the exam leak.

After a third round of talks between CJP leaders and ministers — held after Pradhan’s announcement — the movement said the government had accepted “all” its demands and called off the nationwide protests.

Dipke had voiced other demands in his address at Jantar Mantar. “We are cockroaches. Once it enters, it does not leave,” he quipped.

He also urged his supporters not to turn him into a “hero” because of Pradhan’s resignation.

“Do not make this mistake. Do not make me a hero because of Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. The country has been ruined because of making one person a hero.”

He further said, “When we rise above Hindu and Muslim politics and talk about issues, then it will be good for the country.”

Supporters of the “cockroach” movement had been protesting since June, but anger boiled over since police on Monday injured dozens of students, launching baton charges and firing tear gas to deter crowds of protesters marching on parliament.

Demands accepted

A post on CJP’s X account after the talks with the government said it was agreed to provide the “maximum possible compensation for families of NEET paper leak-related suicides”.

It further said all cases against those involved in the protests will be withdrawn and no action will be taken.

“CJP’s 5-point exam reform charter will be considered by the govt and the CJP will meet with the govt to discuss these reforms further,” it added.

Pradhan announced his resignation before the third round of talks.

The government held two rounds of talks with CJP leaders on Monday and Friday, but little headway was made initially, with the youth-led movement sticking to their demands.

Among those was the demand that the families of all students who reportedly took their own lives should receive 10 million Indian rupees in compensation.

Another was that action be taken against police officials involved in the July 20 crackdown on protesters and that all cases registered against students be withdrawn.

The CJP had also called for a public apology from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Delhi Police — a demand not mentioned in the movement’s announcement later.

Youth celebrate

Protesters continuing their sit-in at Jantar Mantar, the same site of Monday’s police crackdown, erupted in joy after Pradhan’s announcement.

They shouted “Jai Hind”, a patriotic slogan meaning “Victory to India”, as the national anthem played on loudspeakers and sweets were distributed among the crowd. At least 1,000 police officials stood nearby guarding the area, according to Reuters journalists at the site.

The protests also reflected anger over job scarcity, corruption and government accountability.

“Young generation is here. This is a win for the constitution, protester Tluanga Ralte said, walking with a copy of the Indian constitution at the protest site after the minister’s resignation.

“We are not a lazy generation.”

Sunil, 27, who came to the protest site for the first time on Saturday to “experience the atmosphere”, said it was “truly electrifying, especially after the minister’s resignation”.

“What the young people did was commendable,” he told AFP.

Federal authorities even on Saturday restricted access to the internet and to 18 metro stations to try to limit the protest in the capital, the latest day of such restrictions.

Students, youth activists and opposition supporters had in recent days staged protests in the states of West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, holding placards demanding Pradhan’s resignation and boycotting classes in some places.

‘Not a matter of personal reputation’

Pradhan, 57, is a senior leader of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has been regarded as a rising figure, and even mentioned in the past as a potential BJP leader.

“From day one, I took responsibility for this and never turned away from this situation,” the education minister asserted in his letter today, referring to the exam leaks.

Pradhan said the government took immediate notice when irregularities emerged in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) held on May 3.

“The Government of India took immediate cognisance of this, handed over the investigation to the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), cancelled the exam, and announced a new date for re-examination. Alongside this, it was also decided to conduct the exam in CBT (Computer-Based Test) mode from next year,” he highlighted.

In his letter, the minister also accused “certain individuals occupying positions of responsibility” of trying to mislead students and create obstacles.

Pradhan stated: “I have always been an unwavering believer in the strength of our democracy and I have always held deep respect for the aspirations, dreams and expectations of the youth. They are not only the future of India, but also the bearers, builders, and architects of a new and developed India.

“Watching the events of the last 10 days has saddened me. This is not a matter of personal reputation for me.”

Pradhan concluded his letter saying, “My resolve is that we will not let the country’s youth get caught in a web of confusion.”

A minister since Modi first took office in 2014, he has held the petroleum and natural gas, steel, skill development and education portfolios, becoming education minister in 2021.

His father was a veteran BJP leader and served as a junior federal minister between 1998 and 2004.

‘Victory of democracy’

Supporters of CJP, including the opposition Congress party, welcomed Pradhan’s resignation.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who ended his 26-day hunger strike yesterday, hailed the resignation as a “victory of democracy”.

“It’s a victory of peace, patience & persévérance,” he wrote, congratulating CJP and the Gen Z of India.

“Thank you all citizens for shedding fear and the fear of fear and rising up from every corner of the nation,” he added.

India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi threw his weight behind protesters in support of their cause, calling Pradhan’s resignation a “huge step”.

Rahul called for Modi to “apologise” and respect students and India’s future generations.

“Action should be taken against those guilty of violence against students,” he said. “The time has come to remove this government,” he added.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul’s sister and a Lok Sabha member, expressed Congress’s support for the youth movement.

“The youth of India have started to take our country back from those who tried to suppress their voice… today is the day an undemocratic and oppressive government was forced to bend to the will of the people of India,” she wrote on X.