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Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been given additional charge of India's Ministry of Education following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan amid nationwide protests over alleged examination paper leaks. The appointment was confirmed by the President's Office on Saturday after accepting Pradhan's resignation. Joshi will continue to serve as Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs while overseeing the education portfolio. Speaking to reporters after his appointment, Joshi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pledged to carry out his new responsibilities with dedication. He credited the Modi government with achieving significant milestones over the past 12 years and praised his predecessor for implementing the National Education Policy and introducing several key reforms in recent years. Pradhan, 57, submitted his resignation on the 35th day of protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, saying he stepped down to prevent what he described as anti-national forces from exploiting the situation. In his resignation letter, he said he had devoted more than four decades to improving education and supporting students and teachers, describing a strong and inclusive education system as the foundation of a strong nation. Hours after Pradhan's resignation, spokespersons of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, jointly announced the end of the protest alongside Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, saying the movement had been withdrawn "in good faith" after the government assured them that their demands would be addressed. The resignation of Pradhan had been the principal demand of the protest movement launched by Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University graduate who recently returned to India to campaign against alleged examination paper leaks. A day before taking charge of the Education Ministry, Joshi had reiterated the government's commitment to protecting students' interests while accusing anti-social elements of attempting to exploit the protests. He said the Modi government remained committed to strengthening the education system, ensuring fairness in examinations and taking strict action against any irregularities affecting students. Joshi also acknowledged students' right to peaceful protest but urged them to remain vigilant against attempts by outside groups to hijack the movement for other purposes. Source: NDTV

India's "Cockroach" movement on Saturday announced an end to its weeks-long nationwide protests after the government accepted its key demands, including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination paper leaks and irregularities in the country's education system. Pradhan confirmed his resignation in a post on X, delivering a major victory to the youth-led movement that organized demonstrations, sit-ins and hunger strikes across India. The resignation marks one of the most significant concessions made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in response to sustained public protests during his more than 12 years in office. The movement began over a month ago following allegations of paper leaks in several major entrance examinations. Initially focused on education reforms, it soon expanded into a broader campaign demanding greater government accountability, more employment opportunities and improved economic prospects. Students, professionals, parents and activists participated in protests in New Delhi and several other cities. Following the minister's resignation, organizers said the government had also agreed to implement wider education reforms, compensate the families of students who died by suicide in connection with the exam leak controversy, and refrain from taking legal action against those who took part in the demonstrations. "We urge everyone to peacefully withdraw from protest sites," Ashutosh Ranka, spokesperson for the Cockroach Janta Party, which launched the movement, told reporters in New Delhi.  

At least 35 people were killed and around 30 others injured after two buses collided on a highway connecting the Syrian capital, Damascus, with the eastern province of Deir el-Zour on Saturday, according to Syrian state media. The crash involved a civilian passenger bus and a bus belonging to the Interior Ministry on the desert highway, the state-run SANA news agency reported, citing a Health Ministry official. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, with Syrian military helicopters reportedly taking part in the rescue operation. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the collision, and an investigation is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the deadly crash.

India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down on Saturday following weeks of intense nationwide protests demanding his removal over alleged paper leaks in key competitive entrance examinations and wider irregularities in the country's education system. The minister’s departure represents the first major concession by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the face of persistent demonstrations, sit-ins, and hunger strikes spearheaded by the youth-led "Cockroach movement". Humour and memes fuel India's 'Cockroach' protest movement against Modi government

Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike on Friday that helped galvanize a youth movement that's become one of India’s largest protests in recent years, but demonstrators vowed to continue until the education minister resigns. Wangchuk’s fast became a rallying point for India’s “Cockroach” protests, which began more than a month ago demanding education reforms after alleged leaks in some of the country’s most competitive entrance exams. Since then, the movement has tapped into broader public anger over unemployment, government accountability and economic opportunity, drawing professionals, families and activists to demonstrations in New Delhi and cities across the country. The demonstrations have become one of the most sustained waves of public dissent against Modi’s government in recent years, with thousands returning to the streets even after police used tear gas and batons this week to disperse marchers trying to reach Parliament. In a post on X, Wangchuk said he ended his fast in the presence of two federal ministers after appeals from dozens of members of parliament and following “a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country.” He did not elaborate on the talks. Protest organizers said demonstrations would continue until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. They have called for demonstrations across the country on Friday in solidarity with students who were beaten by police during a march to Parliament on Monday that drew thousands of people. “We won’t let Sonam sir’s sacrifice go in vain,” said Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical group that has spearheaded the movement, named in reference to a remark by the country's supreme court chief justice that compared some unemployed young people to cockroaches. The nationwide protests come a day after Modi publicly addressed the protests for the first time, announcing fast-track courts to prosecute cases involving examination paper leaks. In a separate video message, Modi also said his government would introduce a legislation in Parliament to crack down on exam paper leaks. The announcements did little to calm the movement, as protesters said they failed to address their demands for government accountability, examination reforms and compensation for the families of students who died by suicide after exam paper leaks.

The Indian government has replaced Education Secretary Vineet Joshi in a major bureaucratic reshuffle amid growing protests over alleged examination paper leaks, including the controversy surrounding the NEET exam. According to an official government notification issued late Thursday, Joshi has been transferred as Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. He has been succeeded by Naresh Pal Gangwar, who was serving as Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The reshuffle also saw TK Anil Kumar, currently Additional Secretary in the Department of Rural Development, appointed as Secretary in the Department of School Education and Literacy. Joshi had taken charge as Secretary of the Department of Higher Education in January 2025. The latest administrative changes were part of a wider reshuffle involving 13 appointments and four in-situ upgrades. The move comes as protests continue over alleged examination paper leaks, with the satirical political outfit Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition parties demanding greater accountability from the government. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey linked Joshi's transfer to the government's response to the controversy, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi had acted against officials accused of negligence over the issue. "Prime Minister Modi has replaced the Education Secretary for showing apathy regarding the paper leak issue. Strict action will be taken against those responsible for the paper leak, as well as those who displayed negligence or apathy," Dubey said. Joshi, a 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Manipur cadre, previously served as the state's Chief Secretary. He was also the founding Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts major entrance examinations, including NEET and JEE. His previous assignments also include serving as Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Education. Joshi holds a degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Kanpur and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT). Gangwar, who succeeds him, is a 1994-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre and has been serving as Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying before his latest appointment. Source: NDTV

The closure of several Metro stations in the Indian capital due to ongoing student protests reached the Supreme Court on Thursday, as lawyers complained of difficulties in accessing the court. Several Metro stations in central Delhi have remained closed for the past few days as protests at Jantar Mantar, led by the social media platform Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), intensified. At least 16 Metro stations remained shut on Thursday, including the Supreme Court Metro station. The issue was raised before the apex court by Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh. Referring to the closure of key Metro stations around the Supreme Court, Singh said many lawyers and court staff were facing difficulties and were unable to reach the court on time. He urged Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to intervene. In response, the Chief Justice said he would step in if the issue was not resolved by lunchtime. Singh suggested that people holding valid Supreme Court entry passes, along with Registry staff, should be allowed to exit at the Supreme Court Metro station after appropriate security screening. "In the metro, there is one advantage that when they come out of the train, there is an exit point. There they can be screened. People having proximity cards, and Registry staff, can be permitted to come out, and the rest can be told to take the other train and go. So people will be able to use the train also," Singh submitted. Responding to the concern, the Chief Justice said the Supreme Court administration had already taken up the matter with Metro authorities. He also assured the Bar that if the issue remained unresolved, he would personally intervene. "If by lunchtime something does not happen to open the Metro station, I will intervene. We have directed that no adverse orders should be passed today for non-appearance of lawyers etc," the Chief Justice said. The Delhi Metro on Thursday morning announced that 16 Metro stations, including the Supreme Court station, would remain closed until further orders. #Source: NDTV

The death toll from the ongoing floods in India's northeastern state of Assam has risen to 31,  Indian media says on Wednesday.  According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, more than half a million people remain affected across 16 flood-hit districts. The authority said floodwaters have inundated 872 villages and damaged over 24,210 hectares of cropland in the affected areas.

The Indian government on Wednesday rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations over recurring examination paper leaks, accusing the Leader of the Opposition of being selective and attempting to derive political benefit from the issue. Union Health Minister and BJP President J P Nadda said Gandhi had highlighted paper leaks during the BJP’s tenure at the Centre but failed to mention similar incidents in states governed by the Congress and its allies. Citing examples from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, Nadda said examination paper leaks had also occurred in those states, questioning why Gandhi had not raised those cases. “Why are you so selective?” Nadda asked, alleging that the Congress leader was more interested in political gains than in addressing students’ concerns or improving the education system. The exchange came hours after Gandhi claimed that more than 150 examination paper leaks had occurred during the BJP-led government's decade in power, as protests over the NEET examination continued. Nadda reiterated the Centre’s willingness to hold a detailed discussion on the NEET issue in Parliament, saying the government was prepared to allocate as much time as the Opposition required. He said Parliament was the appropriate forum to examine the causes of paper leaks, identify those responsible, review the Centre’s response and discuss measures that all governments could adopt to prevent such incidents in the future. Calling for cooperation across party lines, Nadda urged the Opposition to work with the government to develop a lasting solution that would protect the interests of millions of students across the country. Source: NDTV

A youth-led protest movement that began as an online response to a controversial court remark has grown into one of the most significant public challenges to India's ruling government, expanding from demands for education reforms to broader calls for accountability and institutional change. The movement, known as the "Cockroaches," was sparked by widespread anger over alleged leaks of highly competitive entrance examinations for medical colleges and government jobs, which are seen as critical pathways to employment and social mobility for millions of Indians. The protests gained momentum in May after India's Supreme Court Chief Justice Surya Kant, during an unrelated court hearing, reportedly compared some unemployed young people to "cockroaches." The remark triggered a backlash on social media, leading Boston University student Abhijeet Dipke to launch the Cockroach Janta Party, or Cockroach People's Party. Many young people embraced the label as a symbol of resilience, rapidly turning the movement into a social media phenomenon. Supporters shared satirical content criticizing the government over unemployment, limited job opportunities and economic challenges. The campaign moved from online platforms to the streets in June when Dipke returned to India and organized demonstrations in several cities and university campuses. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, reforms to the examination system and compensation for families of students who died by suicide following alleged exam paper leaks. Initially drawing only a few hundred participants, the protests have since attracted thousands. The movement gained further attention after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the demonstrations and launched a hunger strike lasting more than three weeks before police transferred him to a hospital. As the campaign has expanded, it has evolved beyond student concerns to reflect wider public frustration over government accountability, unemployment and confidence in institutions, including the education system, political leadership, judiciary and media. The protests have also drawn support from professionals, families and volunteers across the country, many of whom have contributed through donations and social media campaigns rather than traditional political organizations. The Indian government initially dismissed the protesters' demands. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said authorities had addressed the examination controversy by ordering fresh tests and accused demonstrators of acting against national interests. However, the government's stance softened after police used tear gas and batons to disperse protesters attempting to march to Parliament earlier this week. The crackdown triggered public criticism and prompted government representatives to hold talks with protest leaders, although no breakthrough was reported. The movement has also received backing from opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several rights groups, who describe it as a broader campaign for democratic accountability and the right to peaceful protest. Political observers say the decentralized youth movement presents an unusual challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, particularly as India's large population of young voters could play a decisive role in future elections.