HUMILITY isn’t a trait commonly associated with the Indian prime minister. Hence his education minister’s exit last weekend was greeted as a triumph by the crowds who had been demanding it for weeks, and acknowledged as an unusual retreat by analysts familiar with the Modi regime’s tendency to resist popular pressure.

In itself, Dharmendra Pradhan’s departure isn’t such a big deal even for a government that prides itself on avoiding ministerial resignations. He has been replaced by another Modi loyalist — RSS alumnus, Pralhad Joshi. Whether Joshi, who also holds other portfolios, is even inclined to redress the challenges in the educational sector is one among many questions.

The leak of questions in medical entrance exams in which 2.3 million aspirants were competing for fewer than 130,000 places necessitated a retake. At least 12 students died by suicide in the interim; several more are said to have died since then. The leaks are not uncommon: at least 152 are said to have occurred since 2014, when Narendra Modi became PM. As with other socioeconomic facets of India’s polity, such flaws were exacerbated rather than introduced by the BJP government that took over 12 years ago.

However, this regime cannot evade the........

© Dawn