Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday he had resigned, handing a major victory to young protesters nationwide who had demanded that he quit to take responsibility for examination paper leaks.
The minister announced his resignation on X just as police fired tear gas to scatter young protesters in New Delhi, hours before their leaders were set to hold another round of talks with ministers.
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"Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation... I have sent my resignation letter to the Prime Minister," Pradhan wrote in his post.
"I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of the country's youth."
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The social media-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spearheaded student protests that broke out in response to exam paper leaks, and is seeking systemic reforms in the education system.
Demonstrations at the Jantar Mantar protest site in the centre of New Delhi intensified during the week and began spreading to other parts of the country.
Anger has boiled over since police on Monday injured many students, launching baton charges and firing tear gas to deter crowds of protesters marching on parliament.
Federal authorities have restricted access to the internet and to 18 metro stations to try to limit the protest in the capital.
The government held two rounds of talks with CJP leaders on Monday and Friday but little headway was made, with the youth-led movement sticking to their demands ahead of another proposed meeting on Saturday.
The protests, led largely by young people and triggered by discontent over leaks of question papers for high-stakes entrance exams, reflect anger over job scarcity, corruption and government accountability.
Cheers erupted among the thousands of protesters who have been rallying in central Delhi and elsewhere as the news spread.
"We have done it," CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said to a thunderous response by hundreds of protesters.
(the broadcaster with Reuters and AFP)
