Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as India's education minister on Saturday, in a major ⁠victory for youth protesters led by the recently formed Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). The protesters demanded that Mr Pradhan step down to take responsibility for exam paper leaks that affected millions of students and led to instances of suicide in the country. "Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar [the New Delhi protest site] and across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation ... I have sent my resignation letter to the Prime Minister," Mr Pradhan said. "I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings and legitimate expectations of the country's youth."His resignation follows talks between the government and CJP leaders on Friday. The news led to celebrations among protesters in the Indian capital on Saturday.Thousands of supporters of India's youth-led "cockroach" movement ​had been ‌protesting since June. Initially, the government resisted calls for Mr Pradhan to be dismissed and announced measures aimed at addressing the crisis, including a pledge to establish fast-track courts to prosecute those involved in exam paper leaks. But the protests spread, with opposition parties maintaining demands for the minister’s resignation. Anger boiled over when police on Monday injured dozens ⁠of students, using batons and tear gas to deter crowds marching on parliament.Modi responds with ReelsPrime Minister Narendra Modi used Instagram Reels to respond to the protests. On Thursday, he posted a selfie video, adopting the style of the platform's users and young protesters, and described the scandal of the exam paper leaks as “extremely painful” for students and parents. He vowed that “those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared".That video drew more than 350 million views, becoming the most-viewed Instagram Reel in the platform’s history within 24 hours, local media reported. Mr Modi followed Thursday's video with another thanking young people for engaging with his post. Both videos did not mention Mr Pradhan or the demands for his resignation. From social media to the streetsThe youth movement adopted the name cockroach after comments by Supreme Court judge Surya ⁠Kant in May, who likened the country's unemployed young people to "cockroaches".Cockroach Janta Party founder and president Abhijeet Dipke, centre, in New Delhi. EPAInfoAbhijeet Dipke, an author and political communications strategist, posted on X with the message: "What if all cockroaches come together?" The post went viral and, months later, he became the leader of what started as a satirical platform. It coincided with the exam paper leak and the unrest that followed when students were forced to retake the tests.Exam leak and compensation demandMore than two million students sat the exam, known as the National Eligibility-Entrance Test, in May. The mandatory exam determines a student's eligibility for university admissions for undergraduate medical degrees, dentistry and other healthcare studies. Play01:51What is India's Cockroach Janta Party?After the scandal came to light, the government launched an investigation, cancelled the release of results and ordered the test to be retaken in June.According to numbers reported by the CJP, at least 21 students died by suicide after the decision was announced, while media outlets reported at least 12 cases. Those numbers have not yet been verified. The CJP leadership has demanded compensation for the families of students who died. The group has also called for action to be taken against police involved in the crackdown on protesters in New Delhi on Monday. For thousands of families, the ​medical college entrance exam is seen as a gateway to financial security, social mobility and prestige in a country where competition to gain professional qualifications is fierce and opportunities can be scarce. Only ⁠about 6 per cent of candidates secure a place in medical college through the test, government data shows.- with inputs from wires