Politics · Student-led · ArchiveStudent Protests Force Modi's First Ministerial Resignation in 12 YearsAired July 31, 2026 at 8:34 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00India's education minister Dharmendra0:02Pradhan resigned on Saturday, marking0:04the first time in Prime Minister0:05Narendra Modi's 12 years in power that0:07public pressure has forced the removal0:09of a minister. The crisis started with0:11the exam [music] leak, but it was the0:13sustained street protests that turned it0:15into a political showdown, one that0:17ultimately forced [music] the minister0:18out. The protesters insist on three0:20things: the resignation they just won,0:22the dropping of cases against students,0:24[music] and compensation for the0:25families of those they say died by0:26suicide. That last number, at least 20,0:29is the movement's claim. [music] Nearly0:302 million students had to reset the test0:32after the leak was discovered, creating0:34a wave of anger that fueled the0:36protests.0:37In Bihar, an officer [music] fired0:39between 7 and 20 rounds from an assault0:41rifle at protesters. He has been0:43suspended. Police also used [music]0:45pellet guns, and at least one student0:46lost sight in one eye. In Delhi,0:49authorities blocked mobile signals and0:50later banned food deliveries after0:52supporters flooded protesters with0:53online orders, a tactic that worked for0:562 days before being cut off. Delhi0:57police say about 2,500 {quote} "criminal1:00elements joined the riots and were1:02identified through face recognition."1:04That claim remains unverified. With the1:06minister gone, the other two demands are1:08unresolved, and the government's next1:10steps will determine whether the1:11student-led movement can sustain1:12pressure on Narendra Modi.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗