New Delhi: Left leaders Friday hailed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as a “historic victory” for the student-youth movement, while asserting that the struggle would continue until all the protesters’ demands were met.
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby congratulated students and youth across the country on what he described as a “major victory”, saying Pradhan’s resignation was “only the first step”.
“The NTA has to be disbanded, and the anti-student, commercial and communal NEP 2020 has to be rolled back as well,” Baby said in a post on X.
Congratulations to India’s students and youth on this major victory! @dpradhanbjp‘s resignation is only the first step. Now the @NTA_Exams has to be disbanded and the anti-student, commercial and communal NEP 2020 has to be rolled back as well.
Cases foisted on the protesters…
— M A Baby (@MABABYCPIM) July 25, 2026
He also demanded that cases registered against protesters be withdrawn and action be taken against police personnel who “brutally attacked” students during the agitation.
Baby congratulated CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and various student organisations, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), for remaining steadfast despite threats.
He also welcomed the support extended to the movement by celebrities from sports, arts, cinema and culture, saying the experience had shown that united struggles could succeed.
Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja said Pradhan’s resignation was achieved through sustained struggle and the students’ movement has “defeated the arrogance of the BJP and compelled the Modi-Shah regime to answer for its failures.”
Raja also reiterated the demand for withdrawal of all FIRs lodged against protesters, an unconditional apology from the government for the police action, and compensation for families who lost children due to alleged irregularities in the competitive examinations.
He said the movement had highlighted deeper concerns over repeated paper leaks, privatisation, excessive centralisation and the weakening of public education, adding that the struggle would continue for an accessible, inclusive and quality public education system.
CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya took a jibe at Pradhan, saying it was the “only sensible thing” the former minister had done.
Tagging Pradhan’s post on X, Bhattacharya said the minister had failed to admit that his resignation had been “ordered by the youth of India.”
Education Minister Pradhan resigned from his post Saturday amid mounting pressure to step down over irregularities in the conduct of several competitive exams.
Pradhan said he was disturbed to see the series of events that have unfolded in the last 10 days and sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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