Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation was the reflection of the fact that safeguarding the future of the country’s students and youth is of “paramount importance” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government.

Pradhan stepped down as education minister on Saturday amid mounting pressure over the NEET paper leak controversy, with the Centre conceding the principal demand of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led agitation after weeks of protests that spread from the national capital to several parts of the country.

He announced his decision in a statement, saying the developments of the past 10 days had “saddened” him deeply and that the issue was “not a matter of personal prestige”.

Rajnath Singh said Pradhan resigned from his post taking into account the views and sentiments of the country’s youth and students, “This resignation is a testimony of the fact that for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our government, safeguarding the future of our students and youth is of paramount importance,” the Defence minister said in a post on X.

Singh said the government is addressing “with utmost seriousness and sensitivity” the concerns of the students regarding the NEET exam, paper leaks and necessary reforms in the education system.

“Our top priority remains to understand our students’ genuine concerns, address them promptly, and ensure that they know their voices are being heard,” he said.

“I am confident that our youth and students will now focus on their studies, dreams, and aspirations with full confidence, making a significant contribution to building a strong, prosperous, and developed India,” he added.

Singh said Pradhan’s tenure as the Union minister has been marked by a “steadfast commitment” to transforming India into a developed nation.

New Delhi, Jul 25: The Cockroach Janta Party on Saturday called off its 36-day agitation after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned and the government accepted its other demands, a momentous win for the unprecedented youth-led movement that galvanised lakhs of people over irregularities in exams and the NEET paper leak.

Pradhan announced his resignation in a statement, saying the developments of the past 10 days had “saddened” him deeply and that the issue was “not a matter of personal prestige”.
Noting that he did not want “anti-national forces” to exploit the situation, Pradhan said he wanted to ensure that “the unity of the nation remains intact”, “the future of even a single student should not become entangled in legal complications” and that students devote their time to studies and building their careers.

“Keeping all these considerations in mind, I have sent my resignation to the Hon’ble Prime Minister,” he said.
Soon after Pradhan’s announcement, the CJP declared that it was withdrawing its agitation after the government agreed to all its remaining demands, including compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak and withdrawal of FIRs against protesters.

The announcement came after the third round of talks between the two sides at the Constitution Club of India here, where Union ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh met CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.
Addressing a joint press conference with the CJP leadership, Nadda said the government would provide “honourable compensation” within the rules to the families of students who committed suicide after the NEET examination controversy and ensure the withdrawal of all FIRs registered against protesters.

“As the government accepted all our demands, we call off our protests with immediate effect. We appeal everyone to go back home peacefully,” Das said.
Jubilant scenes erupted at Jantar Mantar and chants of “Hum Jeet Gaye” (We have won) rang out across the protest site after Pradhan resigned.
As the celebrations continued, authorities began overseeing the winding down of the demonstration, urging protesters to disperse peacefully, while the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) reopened all entry and exit gates at nearby stations to facilitate their movement.
Pradhan’s resignation marked a significant climbdown for the Narendra Modi government, which had initially dismissed the agitation before gradually opening channels of dialogue with the protesters.

Pradhan is only the second Union minister during Modi’s tenure as PM since 2014 to resign following sustained public controversy. The first was M J Akbar, who stepped down as minister of state for external affairs in 2018 after sexual harassment allegations surfaced against him during the #MeToo movement.

Pradhan’s resignation is among the few occasions since 2014 that the Modi government has yielded to sustained public or political pressure – the decision in 2015 to shelve the proposed amendments to the land acquisition law and the repeal of the three farm laws in 2021 being two major retreats.
The protests were spearheaded by the CJP, a platform launched by former AAP functionary Abhijeet Dipke as a satirical online campaign in May before it evolved into a nationwide youth movement centred on demands for accountability over the NEET paper leak.
The agitation began at Jantar Mantar on June 20 but acquired national momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined it on June 28 and undertook an indefinite fast with six AISA activists. Wangchuk ended his fast on Thursday night after the Centre’s outreach to him.
The government’s first formal engagement with the CJP leadership came on July 20 at Nadda’s residence, even as police cracked down on protesters marching towards Parliament, an action that became a turning point in the agitation and swelled support for the movement.
A second round of discussions was held on Friday after the Centre accepted the CJP’s demand that the venue be shifted from a minister’s residence to a neutral venue.

Wangchuk’s forcible removal from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital by police on July 18 had also triggered widespread outrage and broadened support for the agitation.
Reacting to Pradhan’s resignation, Wangchuk described it as “a victory of democracy, direct democracy… straight from the streets”.
“It is a victory of peace, patience and perseverance,” he said, congratulating the CJP, Gen Z and citizens “for shedding fear and the fear of fear and rising up from every corner of the nation”.

At Jantar Mantar, protesters erupted in celebration as news of the resignation broke. They danced, waved the tricolour and embraced each other while songs such as “Chak De India” played in the background. Many held portraits of B R Ambedkar, calling the resignation a victory for the movement.
Addressing the jubilant gathering, Dipke said, “We have b***** done it. Pradhan’s resignation is proof that if you don’t get scared, you can win.”
“They used to say that this government does not see resignations. We say the world bends if there is someone who can make it bend,” he said.
Dipke also thanked Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, whose “cockroaches” remark about unemployed youth had triggered the movement.
“If you had not called us ‘cockroaches’, I would not have returned to India. If you had not called us ‘cockroaches’, the youth of the country would not have come out on the streets. If you had not called us ‘cockroaches’, Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation would not have happened,” he said.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who had led a dharna of Congress leaders outside the PM’s residence on July 21 demanding Pradhan’s resignation, said two demands still remained pending — action against those responsible for alleged atrocities on protesting students and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to students.

“Daro mat (don’t be afraid). Let’s get rid of this regime that is attacking India, destroying our Constitution, capturing all our institutions,” he said. Speaking to reporters outside 10 Janpath later in the day, Gandhi alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was “directly responsible” for the violence against students, accusing him of authorising the use of “lethal weapons” and pellet guns against protesters.
“We will not accept security forces shooting at students. This will be our major issue in Parliament,” he said.
The BJP, however, defended Pradhan, with party president Nitin Nabin saying his decision reflected “the highest standards” of integrity and selfless service.

“As Union education minister, he played a pivotal role in reforming India’s education landscape and implementing the landmark National Education Policy. Prioritising larger interests, his decision to step down reflects the highest standards of integrity and selfless service in public life. The party stands firmly with Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Ji,” Nabin said in a post on X.
Pradhan’s resignation came a day after the Centre announced a series of measures to address concerns over examination irregularities, including a proposed law prescribing stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks and the setting up of fast-track courts for speedy trials.