India has appointed senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pralhad Joshi as its new education minister after President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, who stepped down following weeks of nationwide student protests over the paper leak scandal.

In a statement, Rashtrapati Bhavan said President Murmu accepted Pradhan’s resignation on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The statement added that Modi had recommended assigning the education portfolio as an additional charge to Joshi, who is already serving as the federal minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution, and new and renewable energy.

Joshi, a Lok Sabha member from the southern state of Karnataka, has previously held key cabinet portfolios, including parliamentary affairs and coal and mines.

Pradhan resigned after weeks of protests led by the youth-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which demanded his removal over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and other examinations.

The protests, which began at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on June 5, grew into a nationwide movement, with Pradhan’s resignation becoming the demonstrators’ central demand.

Hours before the third round of talks between the government and the CJP, Pradhan announced his resignation, saying he respected the aspirations and expectations of India’s youth.

“I deeply respect the aspirations, emotions and legitimate expectations of the youth of this country. Fulfilling the dreams of India’s younger generation has always been a moral commitment of our political and public life,” he wrote in his resignation letter, while thanking Prime Minister Modi for the opportunity to serve.

Negotiations between the government and the CJP had remained deadlocked over the demand for Pradhan’s resignation.

Earlier on Saturday, the student group reiterated that further talks would be meaningless unless the education minister was removed.

News of Pradhan’s resignation sparked celebrations among protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar. In a social media post, the CJP declared, “The cockroaches and democracy have won.”

According to the group, Delhi Police later used batons and fired tear gas shells after demonstrators began celebrating at the protest site.

Following Pradhan’s resignation, the CJP outlined its remaining demands, including legal immunity for protesters, compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy, and a public apology from Delhi Police.

The government had already assured the group it would address the remaining demands, while initially withholding a decision on the minister’s resignation.