“Dharmendra Pradhan resigned; CJP said, ‘This is the students’ victory.'”

By Rachna Meena, for Naya Satyagraha

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. His resignation comes after a month-long protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, while the opposition had also been continuously demanding his resignation.

However, at the time of writing, there has been no official confirmation from the Prime Minister that the resignation has been accepted.

What did Dharmendra Pradhan say in his resignation?

In a letter shared on the social media platform X, Dharmendra Pradhan said that he had taken this decision keeping in mind the country’s unity, the future of students, and the current situation.

He wrote:

“The situation that has emerged at Jantar Mantar and across the country should not be exploited by anti-national forces. The unity of the country must remain intact. Not a single student’s future should get entangled in legal complications. Our children should devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers. Keeping these considerations in mind, I have submitted my resignation to the Hon’ble Prime Minister.”

He also stated that he had accepted moral responsibility for the matter from the very first day and had pledged to take action against the examination mafia.

CJP says, “We did it”

Following Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, workers of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), who had been protesting at Jantar Mantar, described it as a major victory for the movement.

Addressing supporters, party founder Abhijeet Deepke said:

“We did it. Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned. This proves that if you are not afraid and do not bow before the government, accountability can be enforced in a democracy.”

Deepke further said that the movement was not limited to the resignation of a minister. Instead, it would continue to demand comprehensive reforms in the examination system, swift justice in paper leak cases, and accountability for the injustice faced by students.

A month-long protest at Jantar Mantar

CJP had been holding a continuous sit-in protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since June 20 against the NEET-UG paper leak. Students, parents, educationists, and social activists from across the country participated in the movement.

Educationist and social activist Sonam Wangchuk from Ladakh also joined the protest and observed a hunger strike. Several personalities from the fields of cinema, education, sports, and the arts also expressed support for the movement.

On Friday, representatives of the central government and CJP held two hours of talks.

The government was represented by BJP President J.P. Nadda, but CJP made it clear that the Education Minister’s resignation was a “non-negotiable” demand.

Opposition had been mounting pressure

Alongside the protest at Jantar Mantar, several opposition parties, including the Congress, had been demanding the Education Minister’s resignation both inside and outside Parliament.

On Saturday morning, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi criticized the government on X, writing:

“Shut down the metro, block the roads, close the shops, cut off the internet, stop the food… but you still couldn’t stop the paper leaks.”

He alleged that the government was trying to suppress students’ democratic protests.

Writers and intellectuals also extended support

During the movement, more than 100 writers, artists, and intellectuals issued a joint statement supporting demands for transparency, accountability, and comprehensive reforms in public examinations.

The statement said that repeated paper leaks and examination irregularities had raised serious questions about the credibility of public institutions.

What happens next?

Following Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, attention now turns to whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will accept it and who the central government will appoint to head the Ministry of Education.

It also remains to be seen what new measures the government will announce to reform the examination system and prevent future paper leaks.

Meanwhile, CJP has indicated that its movement will not end completely until comprehensive examination reforms are implemented and accountability in paper leak cases is ensured.

Sonam Wangchuk has shared a photo from the hospital and issued a statement on social media. Reacting for the first time after Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, he described it as a victory for democracy.