Protests Over Exam Leaks Force India's Education Minister to Resign

Youth-led protests in New Delhi, sparked by NEET exam paper leaks and high graduate unemployment, forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25. The unrest was amplified by a 26-day hunger strike led by activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose movement gained traction after a Chief Justice compared unemployed youth to insects. Protesters at Jantar Mantar utilized digital activism and irreverent memes to ridicule the government, including viral clips mocking the Prime Minister.

In response, Narendra Modi released an Instagram video stating he forgave the youth who abused him and announced several policy shifts. These include the establishment of fast-track courts for those involved in paper leaks, the appointment of a tech billionaire to reform the examination system, and compensation for families of students who committed suicide. Despite these concessions, reports emerged of BJP supporters and police targeting women protesters with threats, forcing some to apologize.

The political volatility extended to the Bankipur Assembly by-election, where Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party in a traditional stronghold by approximately 20,000 votes. While the government defended its macroeconomic policies, Wangchuk continues to advocate for a shift from outdated testing toward hands-on aptitude evaluations to address systemic employment failures.