Union Education Minister Resigns Following Youth Protests and Supreme Court Review of Police Force

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25 following a 37 day agitation at Jantar Mantar led by the Cockroach Janta Party over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET UG paper leak. He was replaced by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. The protests spread to cities such as Mumbai and Kolkata, culminating in a march toward Parliament on July 20 that resulted in clashes between security forces and demonstrators.

The Supreme Court has since directed the Union government to preserve ammunition logs of Rapid Action Force members deployed during the protests. While the court noted that pellet guns are permitted under exceptional circumstances, it ordered the Delhi government to provide medical treatment to injured protesters. This legal development follows a political dispute where opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged students were fired upon; meanwhile, the BJP denied these claims and called for an apology.

Simultaneously, the Delhi Police clarified that Jantar Mantar remains an active site for authorized peaceful demonstrations of up to 1,000 people. The police dismissed social media rumors that the venue had been closed or barricaded, stating that permission is granted upon formal application and adherence to prescribed terms.

The protests also prompted various universities to issue advisories to their students. Institutions including Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and IIT Roorkee warned students about the legal and professional risks of participating in demonstrations. Some advisories cautioned against becoming political tools or embarrassing institutions' relationships with the government.