New Delhi: Jubilant scenes erupted at Jantar Mantar Saturday as protesting students, youth leaders, and participants celebrated the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after weeks of demonstrations over examination paper leaks.
As the celebrations continued, authorities began overseeing the winding down of the demonstration, urging protesters to disperse peacefully, while the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) reopened all entry and exit gates at nearby stations to facilitate their movement.
Chants of “Hum Jeet Gaye” (We have won) echoed through the historic protest site, marking a dramatic climax to weeks of mounting public outrage and agitations over examination paper leaks and systemic flaws in national competitive tests.
For many, the moment was deeply personal. Among those was Rajesh Thapa, father of late NEET-UG aspirant Riya Thapa, who lost her life to the mental toll of the examination uncertainty. Holding on to the memory of his daughter, he spoke to PTI about why he chose to stand alongside the student community.
“Children are fighting for their rights, if my daughter were here, she might have joined them too. I thought to myself, since she isn’t here, I should go in her place, so that nothing like this ever happens to anyone else’s child,” Thapa said, his voice heavy with emotion.
Commenting on the minister’s stepping down and withdrawal of the protest, he said “It is a victory for the children, a victory for everyone. If accountability had been taken right when the paper leak first surfaced, the children’s trust in the system would have stayed intact. Maybe then, those who took such extreme steps later would have been saved.”
Organisations leading the agitations viewed the resignation as a vital first step, though they maintained that structural reforms remain crucial.
“Our demands were not radical but basic, and the government has now accepted them,” said Saurav Das of the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP).
Student unions who participated in the protest echoed a similar sentiment, promising that the broader movement for educational accountability would go on. Bheem Kumar, a member of the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) who participated in the demonstration, emphasized that the struggle is far from over.
“Till now, only one major demand has been accepted. The fight for a transparent and better education system will continue,” Kumar noted, emphasizing that the focus must now shift toward overhaul and policy guarantees.
As news of the resignation spread, authorities moved quickly to ensure an orderly wind-down of the demonstration. Special CP, Law and Order Devesh Chandra Srivastava said senior officers were overseeing the site to ensure students disperse without incident.
“We are keeping a close watch on the dispersal. We request everyone to stay calm and return home peacefully,” Srivastava said, adding that the force was hopeful people would understand, cooperate, and maintain peace.
Shortly after the withdrawal announcement, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced that all entry and exit gates at nearby metro stations had been reopened to facilitate smooth movement for departing protesters.
Pradhan resigned from his post Saturday following the Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests across the country for his ouster over the NEET paper leak controversy.
He said it is not a matter of “individual prestige” for him and he is disturbed to see the series of events that have unfolded in the last 10 days.
Pradhan’s resignation came a day after the Centre announced measures to address concerns over examination irregularities. These measures included a proposed law prescribing stringent punishment for paper leak involvement and establishing fast-track courts for speedy trials.