In a major political development, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The announcement came directly via Pradhan’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, just hours ahead of the crucial third round of talks between the Centre and student leaders.
Pradhan's step-down marks the fulfillment of the primary demand made by thousands of students who have been camping at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for over a month.
Breakthrough in the Deadlock
Dialogue between the government and the protest representatives had hit a wall over the insistence on Pradhan’s exit. On Saturday morning, protest leaders made their stance unequivocal: no discussions would proceed unless the government removed the Education Minister.
With Pradhan stepping aside, the Centre has now conceded to all major demands put forward by the movement:
* Resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
* Immunity from legal action for all participating student protesters.
* Financial compensation for the families of students who tragically lost their lives to suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy.
While the Centre had agreed to the latter two conditions during Friday’s deliberations, it had initially remained silent on the Minister's removal—until now.
"Moral Resolve": The Minister Speaks Out
Announcing his decision on X, Dharmendra Pradhan reflected on the decision to step down:
"I hold deep respect for the aspirations, sentiments, and rightful expectations of the youth of this country. Realising the dreams of India's young generation has been the moral resolve of our political and social life. I express my gratitude to Hon'ble Prime Minister for the opportunity given to me to serve the nation under his visionary leadership."
The news triggered instant jubilation at Jantar Mantar, where crowds of rallying students celebrated the breakthrough.
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