As several students gathered in central Delhi on Saturday afternoon, they were met with tear gas and a heavy police presence. However, the situation shortly changed for them as they soon heard the news of Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as education minister, a demand that was central to the ongoing protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).Supporters of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) celebrate after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. (REUTERS)Several students who spoke to HT on the development said that tear gas shelling took place as they joined the protest on Saturday. “Me and my friend have been coming (to the protest) from Day 1 and faced tear gas shells in the afternoon. The next minute, we hear he (Pradhan) has resigned. I can't tell you the happiness we experienced,” 21-year-old Yashika said, adding that unknown strangers at the site hugged each other upon hearing the news. “We tasted the joy of victory today,” she said.Another protester expressed joy over the news. "Just now, we were being tear gassed. On July 20, the police beat so many youngsters in the crowd. But despite that, our demand was met. It feels as if the accountability which we wanted has been given to us," the student said, referring the clash between protesters and security personnel on the day the CJP called its ‘Sansad Chalo’ march.‘Govt, cops tried to stop us, but…’Protesting students cheered as Pradhan stepped down as education minister and said that while the government and the police “tried to stop us", they couldn't succeed. "This protest was important as we have to stand up against a wrong thing, and have to make the government wake up. The past few days have shown that Bhagat Singh, BR Ambedkar, and other figures are within the youth," said 23-year-old Lakshay Chauhan who is pursuing his masters in Haryana.A woman at the protest said that the youth were the future of the country, and Pradhan's resignation was the first step towards accountability. “Ths is how things should be in our country, but haven't been so in a long long time. What has happened today is an impossible win. No one expected it. I have been supporting the cause and these children, but I knew that they were up against a very large system,” the woman said, requesting anonymity.‘Still can’t believe it'While the news of Pradhan's resignation came as a shock and surprise to many, there were some who couldn't believe it."I feel nervous that the announcement will turn out to be a lie. However, I cannot help but feel happy that this protest has actually been successful, if only partly for now," said 22-year-old Kabir Dwivedi, another student at the protest.Another protester expressed a similar sentiment, recalling how they witnessed tear gas shelling just before the education minister's resignation news came in. "We cannot believe that this has actually happened. I think that this will keep the government in check, because we have shown them that we can remove them from power. Going forward, a better education system should be put in place, and agencies such as the NTA should do their work properly," said 25-year-old Khushi Singh, a doctor.Notably, a big government action against the National Testing Agency (NTA) came just one day before Pradhan stepped down. Forty-seven NTA officials were terminated, pending legal action. The development came months after the NEET-UG paper leak happened, necessitating a re-exam, which had sparked anxiety among students.People expect moreThe overall sentiment at the protest site was that of hope and relief, as Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation was the central demand of students. However, some also emphasized that many improvements in the country's education system are pending."This is an incredible victory, and it is the victory of students. However, there is still more to do. Similar officials across the federal government, such as at the state level, should be held accountable. The main problem is that corruption has become so accepted in this country, and the public is aware of that and lives with it. The mentality of people has to be changed," said 23-year-old Ravi Rikhari, a data analyst in Delhi."What does one person's resignation amount to? While it is an incredible achievement, it will not be enough alone, as a similar person will replace Pradhan. Additionally, the issues which led to this protest were not only due to Pradah, but instead caused by the improper functioning of multiple large agencies, and a large number of officials being corrupt. Systematic change is required, otherwise this will only be a symbolic victory," said 24-year-old Khushi Chopra who works as a video editor.Tear gas shelling todayMany protesters said that they witnessed tear gas shelling minutes before Pradhan's resignation news came in. HT has learnt that tear gas shelling took place at around 1:56pm on Tolstoy Road, in front of the entrance to the Jantar Mantar protest site.Tear gas shelling, heavy police presence and barricading was also seen on July 20, the day the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march was called and when students and security personnel clashed.At least 15 FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence that took place that day. On e FIR states that, considering the sensitivity of the location and the need to protect Parliament House and other key installations, police resorted to a “mild lathicharge” and fired tear gas shells to disperse what it described as a “violent crowd”.