HYDERABAD, India: India’s Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has resigned amid youth-led protests in the country over examination paper leaks and growing demands for education reforms.
The minister announced his resignation in a statement posted X on Saturday afternoon and said he has sent it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Considering the situation at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere in the country, and so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of it, national unity is maintained, no student’s future gets entangled in legal complications, and our children can focus on their studies and building their careers, I have submitted my resignation to the honourable prime minister,” Pradhan said.
Meanwhile, following talks with the government, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which led the protests, announced an end to the agitation, saying all its demands had been accepted, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
“We withdraw the agitation in good faith, with the understanding that the agreed-upon terms will be executed within the agreed-upon timelines,” the party’s chief spokesman, Saurav Das, told reporters.
Media reported that thousands camped in New Delhi to seek reforms to the country’s education system following a national medical entrance examination paper leak in May.
On Friday, Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, two influential members of the Modi government held a meeting with representatives of the CJP, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who represent the protesting youth, to discuss their demands. – BERNAMA
