New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday amid mounting pressure over the alleged NEET paper leak, with the Centre conceding the principal demand of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led agitation after weeks of nationwide protests.

In a statement announcing his decision, Pradhan said the developments of the past 10 days had "saddened" him deeply and that the issue was "not a matter of personal prestige".

He said he did not want "anti-national forces" to exploit the situation and wanted to ensure that the unity of the country remained intact while students could focus on their education and careers without prolonged uncertainty.

"Keeping all these considerations in mind, I have sent my resignation to the Hon'ble Prime Minister," Pradhan said.

Pradhan is the second Union minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure to resign following sustained public controversy. The first was M J Akbar, who stepped down as minister of state for external affairs in 2018 after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced during the #MeToo movement.

His resignation came a day after the Centre announced a series of measures to address examination-related irregularities, including a proposed amendment to the anti-paper leak law prescribing stricter punishment for offenders and the establishment of fast-track courts for speedy trials.

The protests were spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), founded by former AAP functionary Abhijeet Dipke as a satirical online campaign before it evolved into a nationwide youth movement demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities.

Addressing supporters at Jantar Mantar, Dipke described the resignation as "a victory of democracy" but said the agitation would continue until the remaining demands were met.

He sought compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET controversy and action against police personnel involved in the July 20 crackdown on protesters during their march towards Parliament.

The Centre initiated formal talks with the CJP leadership on July 20 and subsequently held multiple rounds of discussions with the protesters. It also engaged with activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose indefinite fast alongside six All India Students' Association (AISA) activists significantly expanded support for the agitation. Wangchuk ended his fast on Thursday after the Centre's outreach.

Reacting to Pradhan's resignation, Wangchuk called it "a victory of democracy, direct democracy... straight from the streets" and described it as "a victory of peace, patience and perseverance".

The Congress also welcomed the development, with party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal calling it "a victory of the people" and asserting that the opposition had consistently demanded Pradhan's resignation since the alleged paper leak surfaced.

Pradhan had earlier dismissed the agitation, accusing the CJP of acting on behalf of "anti-national forces". The protest began at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on June 20 before expanding into a nationwide movement.