India's Education Minister Resigns Amid Student Protests Over Exam Leaks

India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25, 2026, following weeks of protests led by students regarding allegations of leaks in medical school entrance exams. The Cockroach Janta Party, a youth movement, had been advocating for Pradhan's resignation and demanding compensation for families of students affected by the scandal, which reportedly forced millions to retake the exams. Pradhan's resignation is noted as a rare concession by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to public pressure. In his resignation announcement, Pradhan acknowledged that irregularities were found in the entrance exams and stated that measures were taken to prevent exploitation by 'anti-national forces.' The Indian government has initiated an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and canceled the exam, with a re-examination date announced. The protests highlighted ongoing issues of youth unemployment in India, where over 40% of the population is under 25 years old, and unemployment rates for this demographic are at their highest in decades.