India youth protests end after education minister resigns over leaked exam paper

Nationwide protests in India have been called off after the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, ending a two-month campaign led by the Cockroach Janta Party. The movement had spread across the country through protests, sit-ins and hunger strikes, and organisers said they were claiming victory after the minister stepped down. The development marks a rare concession by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government after sustained public pressure.

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The protests were triggered by anger over a leaked exam paper linked to the national medical entrance test, which forced about 2 million students to sit the exam again. Local media reported that 20 students died by suicide during the wider controversy, adding to the pressure on the government. In a letter published on X, Mr Pradhan said he took responsibility for the leak and said he deeply respected the aspirations, feelings and legitimate expectations of the country's youth.

The resignation has not ended debate over the handling of the crisis. Movement supporters say the concession is only a first step, and some have shifted attention to Pralhad Joshi, who has been named as the new education minister. Student and model Rhiya Ahir said the next step was to ensure that the new minister enforces education reforms, while 22-year-old Ravi Vishwakarma said Mr Joshi was not a suitable leader.

The episode has become politically significant because it touches on education, youth anger and the government's willingness to respond to mass mobilisation. India has seen repeated student-led protests over exams, recruitment and public accountability, but the scale of this movement and the minister's resignation have given it unusual national weight. It also comes at a time when the government has generally been seen as reluctant to yield to organised pressure during Mr Modi's more than 12 years in office.

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The controversy has also drawn attention to the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, because of Mr Joshi's ties to the organisation. The RSS is a right-wing Hindu volunteer group founded in 1925 and is often described as the ideological parent and mentor of Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. Critics say its philosophy is rooted in Hindu supremacy, while supporters view it as a cultural organisation, making the appointment politically sensitive for some protesters.

For many of those involved, the issue is not only the resignation itself but the credibility of the education system. The leaked paper affected a high-stakes exam that determines entry to medical school, so the fallout has implications for trust in testing, fairness and future reforms. The protests also showed how quickly student anger can spread when exam integrity is questioned, especially when the consequences affect millions of candidates.

What remains unclear is whether the resignation and the appointment of a new minister will satisfy protesters in the longer term. Organisers have ended the large-scale demonstrations for now, but some supporters say they will keep pressing for reform and accountability. The next stage will depend on whether the government follows through on promised changes and whether the controversy over the exam leak is fully addressed.

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