Exam Leak Scandal Rocks India, Topples Senior Minister

A wave of protests in India following the leak of medical entrance exams has led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The government canceled the exam results and ordered a retest, causing severe mental stress and suicides among young examinees. Tens of thousands of students are protesting in Delhi under the CJP movement.

A widespread public protest wave in India, led by students and young people, has led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following the leak of the national medical entrance exam. Over two million students took the exam in May, but after it emerged that the question paper was leaked and sold for huge sums, the government canceled the results and ordered a retest in June. The severe mental stress led to suicides among young examinees, including 19-year-old Sheikh Sana, 22-year-old Pradeep Kumar, and 17-year-old Kahan Patel. Tens of thousands of students protested in central Delhi under the CJP movement, demanding fundamental change and government accountability. The affair revealed deep frustration among the young population, where competition for academic places is fierce and less than six percent are admitted to medical studies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow and promised to punish those responsible, but the opposition demands deep reforms. The minister's resignation poses a significant political test for Modi's government.