India's education minister resigns amid nationwide student protests
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Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation on Saturday after weeks of student demonstrations across major cities, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept the step.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan handed in his resignation on Saturday, responding to a wave of student protests that have spread from Delhi and Mumbai to Kolkata and Chennai. The protests, organized by university groups, have called for reforms to higher-education policies and have drawn large crowds on the streets.
Pradhan told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he was "deeply pained" by recent events but warned that "anti-national forces" could exploit the unrest. The resignation was submitted to the prime minister's office, and officials said a replacement will be named shortly.
The development follows several weeks of public pressure, with demonstrators demanding changes to admission procedures and fee structures. Government spokespeople said the decision reflects a commitment to address the concerns raised by students while maintaining stability.
"We do not want any anti-national forces to take advantage of the massive protests," Pradhan said in a statement.
The resignation is seen as a significant concession to the protest movement, which has been described as one of the most prominent challenges to the Modi administration in recent years.