Pradhan's Resignation or Systemic Change? India Needs Education Reform, Not Temporary Fixes

  •   Sat, Jul 25 2026
  •   By Dr D Kiran Jeevan

July 25, 2026 

The unprecedented student-led protests witnessed in Delhi over the past week are not merely demonstrations against an individual minister. They represent the frustration of an entire generation that feels betrayed by a system which promises opportunity but often delivers uncertainty. The demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has become the rallying point of the movement, but it also raises a more fundamental question: Will replacing one individual solve the crisis in Indian education? 

A minister can be replaced. A government can change. But unless the system itself changes, the problems confronting India's students will remain. 

The CJP movement has brought together lakhs of young Indians from different backgrounds, united by a common experience-an education system increasingly burdened by examination irregularities, delayed recruitment, paper leaks, rising costs of higher education, and declining public confidence. What began as outrage over examination failures has evolved into a larger conversation about the future of education in India. 

India today has one of the largest youth populations in the world. This demographic dividend should be our greatest strength. Instead, many young people find themselves trapped in a cycle of relentless examinations, coaching centres, repeated competitive tests, uncertainty, and anxiety. For countless students, years of preparation can be undone by a single paper leak or administrative failure. Such incidents do not merely delay careers; they erode trust in public institutions. 

It is therefore understandable that students are demanding accountability. In every democracy, governments and ministers must remain answerable for the institutions they oversee. If failures occur repeatedly, responsibility cannot be ignored. However, accountability should not end with a resignation. The nation must ensure that the underlying causes of these failures are permanently addressed. 

The real crisis lies deeper than politics. India has inherited an educational model that continues to prioritise high-stakes examinations over meaningful learning. Success is often determined by a single test rather than by sustained academic performance, creativity, innovation, or practical competence. Students are trained to memorise information instead of solving problems, collaborating with others, or thinking critically. The consequence is an education system that produces degrees but not always confidence, resilience, or employability. 

What India urgently needs is systemic reform. 

First, examination governance must become completely transparent. Independent examination authorities with modern digital security systems, real-time monitoring, encrypted question paper distribution, and swift prosecution of malpractice should become the national standard. Every student must have confidence that success depends on merit rather than manipulation. 

Second, assessment itself requires transformation. No student's future should depend entirely on one examination. Continuous evaluation, portfolios, internships, project-based learning, and practical assessments should complement written examinations, creating a more balanced and equitable measure of achievement. 

Third, education must become more closely connected with employment. Universities should strengthen partnerships with industry, entrepreneurship programmes, apprenticeships, and vocational education so that graduates leave not only with qualifications but also with practical skills that employers value. 

Fourth, mental health and psychosocial support must become integral to educational institutions. The pressure associated with competitive examinations has taken an enormous emotional toll on students. Every school, college, and university should provide trained counsellors, peer-support systems, and mental health services that help students navigate academic stress with dignity. 

Fifth, values and citizenship education deserve renewed attention. An education system should not merely prepare students for employment; it should prepare them for democracy. Critical thinking, ethical leadership, constitutional values, digital literacy, and responsible citizenship are no longer optional-they are essential. 

The protests in Delhi have reminded the nation that students are not merely beneficiaries of education; they are stakeholders in its future. Their voices deserve to be heard respectfully. Peaceful democratic participation is a legitimate expression of citizenship, while governments have an equally important responsibility to maintain public order within the framework of constitutional rights. Sustainable solutions emerge through dialogue, accountability, and evidence-based reform rather than confrontation alone.

History teaches us that every major educational transformation has begun with students demanding something better. Whether these protests ultimately become a turning point will depend not on whether one minister resigns, but on whether policymakers, educators, universities, and civil society come together to redesign the educational system itself. 

India aspires to become a developed nation by 2047. That vision cannot be realised merely through economic growth or technological advancement. It requires an education system that is transparent, equitable, innovative, and trusted by every student.

The debate before the nation is therefore much larger than one individual.

The real question is not, "Should a minister resign?"

The real question is, "Will India finally build an education system worthy of its youth?" 

If these protests lead to genuine systemic reform, they will be remembered not as a moment of unrest, but as the beginning of a new chapter in Indian education.

 

 

 

 
By Dr D Kiran Jeevan
Dr D Kiran Jeevan is the principal of United Mission PU and Degree College, Bengaluru.
To submit your article / poem / short story to Daijiworld, please email it to news@daijiworld.com mentioning 'Article/poem submission for daijiworld' in the subject line. Please note the following:

  • The article / poem / short story should be original and previously unpublished in other websites except in the personal blog of the author. We will cross-check the originality of the article, and if found to be copied from another source in whole or in parts without appropriate acknowledgment, the submission will be rejected.
  • The author of the poem / article / short story should include a brief self-introduction limited to 500 characters and his/her recent picture (optional). Pictures relevant to the article may also be sent (optional), provided they are not bound by copyright. Travelogues should be sent along with relevant pictures not sourced from the Internet. Travelogues without relevant pictures will be rejected.
  • In case of a short story / article, the write-up should be at least one-and-a-half pages in word document in Times New Roman font 12 (or, about 700-800 words). Contributors are requested to keep their write-ups limited to a maximum of four pages. Longer write-ups may be sent in parts to publish in installments. Each installment should be sent within a week of the previous installment. A single poem sent for publication should be at least 3/4th of a page in length. Multiple short poems may be submitted for single publication.
  • All submissions should be in Microsoft Word format or text file. Pictures should not be larger than 1000 pixels in width, and of good resolution. Pictures should be attached separately in the mail and may be numbered if the author wants them to be placed in order.
  • Submission of the article / poem / short story does not automatically entail that it would be published. Daijiworld editors will examine each submission and decide on its acceptance/rejection purely based on merit.
  • Daijiworld reserves the right to edit the submission if necessary for grammar and spelling, without compromising on the author's tone and message.
  • Daijiworld reserves the right to reject submissions without prior notice. Mails/calls on the status of the submission will not be entertained. Contributors are requested to be patient.
  • The article / poem / short story should not be targeted directly or indirectly at any individual/group/community. Daijiworld will not assume responsibility for factual errors in the submission.
  • Once accepted, the article / poem / short story will be published as and when we have space. Publication may take up to four weeks from the date of submission of the write-up, depending on the number of submissions we receive. No author will be published twice in succession or twice within a fortnight.
  • Time-bound articles (example, on Mother's Day) should be sent at least a week in advance. Please specify the occasion as well as the date on which you would like it published while sending the write-up.

Comment on this article

  • Leila Passah, Bangalore

    Sat, Jul 25 2026

    Great article Kiran. Good analysis and agree with you totally about the reform needed . And I like the way you have highlighted 5 key elements required, while studying education reform. We have such a wealth of human resources when it comes to youth and the country needs to maximise. Regards and thanks Leila


Leave a Comment

Title: Pradhan's Resignation or Systemic Change? India Needs Education Reform, Not Temporary Fixes



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.