Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- Former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says he had offered to step down amid protests against him
- ‘Some people misled Gen Z’ during the protests, Pradhan has alleged
Here’s a roundup of the biggest headlines from India on Sunday, August 9:
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Skip next section Gen Z was ‘misled,’ says Dharmendra Pradhan 08/09/2026August 9, 2026
Gen Z was ‘misled,’ says Dharmendra Pradhan
Former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan broke his silence for the first time since he resigned following massive youth protests.
Speaking at a ceremony on Saturday, Pradhan said: “Gen Z is our children. Some people attempted to mislead them.”
Pradhan’s acknowledgment of the protests and his resignation came some 15 days after he quit as the education minister.
Pradhan said he “suffered” because of Gen Z’s stubbornness but had come to realize that the new generation must be understood rather than resisted.
Speaking about his resignation, Pradhan said he had approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered to resign from the Union Council of Ministers.
“The post was not important to me,” Pradhan told a gathering at an event at GM University in Bhubaneswar, according to Indian news agency Press Trust of India.
Pradhan’s resignation was the biggest demand made by the young protesters, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
The protests were triggered over exam irregularities in competitive exams, especially the NEET exam, which is a key requirement for those wishing to enter medical schools across India.
Reportedly, at least 21 students had taken their own lives after the NEET exam was cancelled because of a question paper leak. It was then held at a later date.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5IVepSkip next section Welcome to our coverage08/09/2026August 9, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Midhat Fatimah | Rana Taha Editor
Hello! This is Midhat from the New Delhi bureau bringing you all the latest updates from across India.
Dharmendra Pradhan, who resigned under public pressure after massive youth protests, has broken his silence. He alleged that Gen Z, who was leading the protest movement against him, was misled during the protests over exam irregularities.
Meanwhile, after much confusion and debate over a potential fee on apps-based instant digital payments, the Indian government has clarified that consumers will not have to pay charges for such payments and only merchants will have to pay a “nominal” fee.
On the international front, US Vice President JD Vance called up Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss strengthening cooperation between India and the US on trade, defense and energy security.
Stay tuned as we bring you more from India.
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