Overview
- On Sunday Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned after weeks of nationwide protests over a leaked NEET exam paper.
- Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh cited a CMIE analysis covering 2014-15 to 2025-26 that found education costs rising substantially faster than household income.
- The CMIE figures show private tuition, school and college fees and spending on books and competitive-exam materials are among the fastest-growing items in household education spending.
- Congress argues the protests reflect deeper problems of affordability and access and is demanding immediate measures such as fee regulation, more public provision and steps to reduce dependence on private coaching.
- The resignation meets a key protest demand but attention will now turn to policy changes that could ease mounting out-of-pocket costs for millions of students and families.