The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) reiterated its demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during a meeting with government officials this Friday [1].

The standoff highlights growing pressure on the administration to address systemic failures in national testing and provides a barometer for the government's willingness to concede to protest demands.

A CJP delegation met with Union Minister JP Nadda and other officials at the Constitution Club in New Delhi [1]. The group said the Education Minister is responsible for the alleged NEET paper leak and must step down as part of a broader set of education-reform demands [2].

Saurav Das, a spokesperson for the CJP, said the government was "positive" on two of the demands: compensation for affected families, and withdrawal of cases against protesters [3]. However, the party remained firm on the requirement for Pradhan to resign [2].

There are conflicting reports regarding the timeline given by the administration for a final response. Some reports indicate the government sought time until tomorrow, July 25 [4], while other updates suggest the government requested time until Saturday afternoon, July 26 [1].

This diplomatic effort follows a period of intense administrative action. The government fired 47 NTA officials within a 24-hour window to address the irregularities surrounding the examinations [5].

Despite these dismissals, the CJP said the removal of officials does not resolve the need for ministerial accountability [2]. The party continues to link the resignation to the restoration of integrity in the national examination process.

“the government was "positive" on two of the demands”

The government's willingness to offer compensation and drop legal charges against protesters suggests a strategy of containment to lower the intensity of the protests. However, by resisting the resignation of the Education Minister, the administration is attempting to decouple the operational failures of the NTA from political leadership, a distinction the CJP is currently refusing to accept.