By The South Asia Times

NEW DELHI - India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday in a major defeat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi' government after massive student protests that had camped in the capital for weeks demanding accountability over examination paper leaks.

The resignation marks the first significant political setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government since a student-led movement - spearheaded by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) - erupted into one of India's largest displays of public dissent in recent years.

Pradhan announced his decision on social media platform X just hours before a third round of talks between the government and protest leaders. He said he was stepping down "considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country" and to ensure "anti-national forces do not take advantage" of the unrest.

"I deeply respect the aspirations, sentiments, and legitimate expectations of the country's youth," Pradhan wrote, adding that he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Modi. He defended his record, noting that the government had handed the investigation into the NEET-UG exam irregularities to the Central Bureau of Investigation, cancelled the tainted exam, and announced a re-test conducted on June 21.

As news of the resignation spread, cheers erupted across the main protest site at Delhi's historic Jantar Mantar.

"We have done it," CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced from a makeshift stage, addressing thousands of jubilant supporters. "They used to say that no one resigns in this government. But we have done it".

The CJP posted on X: "Cockroaches won. Democracy won!"

The protest movement began after irregularities surfaced in the NEET-UG medical entrance examination held on May 3, 2026. The controversy grew when the Chief Justice of India reportedly likened unemployed young people to "cockroaches" - a remark that students reclaimed as a symbol of defiance.

The CJP, which is not a political party but a grassroots campaign that evolved into a national movement, quickly gained huge support online before drawing tens of thousands to the streets.

Protesters demanded not only Pradhan's resignation but also compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the paper leak, and assurance that no legal action would be taken against student demonstrators. The government had reportedly agreed to the latter two demands during Friday talks but remained silent on the resignation.

The protests intensified dramatically after police launched baton charges and fired tear gas on Monday to disperse crowds attempting to march to parliament, injuring dozens of students. Hospital and police sources put the number of injured protesters at around 70, while police reported 118 of their personnel were injured.

One video that went viral showed an Uttarakhand police constable, later suspended for being absent from duty, expressing solidarity with protesters and saying he "wanted to shoot" a security official who manhandled a protesting girl.

Amid the escalating crisis, the Ministry of External Affairs has consistently maintained there is no evidence of foreign involvement in the protests. Government sources have clarified there is "No Pakistan Funding, No Hand of Chinese Agents" behind the youth movement at Jantar Mantar.

The official clarification appears to have undercut efforts by some ruling party supporters to portray the protests as a foreign-backed conspiracy.

The resignation has dealt a significant blow to the Modi government, which had previously ruled out the possibility of Pradhan stepping down. Some sources had indicated the government would instead pursue examination system reforms through legislation.

Opposition parties, particularly the Congress party, had rallied behind the protesters. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi led a sit-in outside Prime Minister Modi's residence earlier this week demanding accountability for "brutalities against young students".

The protests, which had spread to dozens of cities across India, have reflected broader anger among India's youth over job scarcity, corruption, and governance accountability. With Pradhan's resignation, the movement has secured its primary demand, though organizers have indicated they will continue pushing for wider structural reforms in the examination system.