India’s Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, has resigned following several weeks of widespread student protests across the country. This was reported by The Guardian.
Pradhan stated that he had decided to resign so that “anti-state forces would not exploit this situation for their own ends”.
“I have the deepest respect for the aspirations, feelings and legitimate expectations of the country’s youth. Fulfilling the dreams of India’s younger generation is a moral principle of our political and public life,” the minister added.
The Guardian notes that this is the first time in the 12 years of the Indian People’s Party’s rule (led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi) that a minister has resigned due to public pressure.
Youth protests have been ongoing in India for several weeks now, triggered by the results of the NEET (National Eligibility Simultaneous Entrance Test). This is the main standardised entrance exam for medical colleges, taken across the country. For many local people, gaining a place at medical college can be a ticket to a better life.
On 3 May, more than two million candidates sat the NEET. A few days later, it emerged that the exam papers had been leaked; the authorities decided to annul the results and hold the exam again. This sparked discontent and protests among parents and candidates.
Against this backdrop, the ‘Cockroach Party’ – which began as a joke but quickly became the country’s most popular movement – called on its supporters to march in protest to the Indian Parliament. The march took place on 20 July, with tens of thousands of people taking part. The authorities had not authorised the protest and brutally dispersed the demonstrators using batons and tear gas.