Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns as Government Reaches Deal with CJP Protesters

India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned following weeks of nationwide protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak. Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, just hours before the third round of talks between government representatives and CJP leaders. His resignation fulfilled the protesters’ primary demand after 37 days of demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

Addressing a joint press conference alongside Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and JP Nadda, CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka said the movement had three key demands: Pradhan’s resignation, the withdrawal of all legal cases and FIRs filed against protesters along with assurances that no new cases would be registered, and compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of those who lost loved ones in connection with the NEET paper leak. Ranka described the minister’s resignation as the fulfillment of the central objective of the protest that began on June 6.

Union Minister JP Nadda announced that the government had agreed to withdraw existing FIRs against protesters and would not file new cases related to the agitation. He also said the Centre would consider the CJP’s five-point charter on examination reforms. The agreement prompted CJP leaders to call off the protest, bringing an end to more than a month of demonstrations while shifting attention to the implementation of the government’s commitments.