The table may be ready, but one chair remains stubbornly empty.

As the Centre and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) prepare for the third round of negotiations on Saturday, expected to take place between 3.30 pm and 4 pm, one demand continues to cast a shadow over the talks: the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Just hours before the next meeting, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka ruled out any possibility of meaningful discussions if the government refuses to remove Pradhan from office. 

'Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation is NON-NEGOTIABLE. If it's a no from the government, there's no point in further discussion,' Ranka posted on X.

The statement comes a day after Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh held nearly two hours of discussions with CJP representatives at the Constitution Club in New Delhi.

The ministers had assured the delegation that the government would deliberate internally and respond during the third round of talks scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

The CJP has placed three key demands before the Centre: the resignation of Pradhan, a guarantee that no legal action will be taken against protesting students, and Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak.

According to the protesters, the Centre has agreed in principle to two of those demands, including protection from legal action for demonstrators and compensation for affected families.

However, the demand for the Education Minister's resignation remains unresolved.

After Friday's meeting, Nadda said the protesters had also submitted five suggestions aimed at reforming the examination system. He said the government would respond after holding internal discussions.

Despite the CJP's firm stand, government sources have indicated that Pradhan's resignation is not being considered.

The sources maintained that the government continues to back the minister, arguing that stepping down would be the 'easiest decision' and insisting that it intends to fulfil the mandate given by the people.

Even as negotiations continue, the Centre has announced a series of measures to tackle paper leaks.

  • PM Modi has announced the creation of fast-track courts for paper leak cases, while the government is preparing stricter legal provisions with tougher penalties and fines.
  • It has also replaced the Education Secretary, dismissed 47 officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA), and promised a comprehensive overhaul of the examination body.

Reacting to the dismissal of 47 NTA officials, Ranka said the action did not address the larger issue of accountability.

'We'll have to look into a lot of details, but we're talking about the same thing again. The ultimate accountability is with the education minister, because he is directly responsible for all the paper leaks and the students who committed suicide after the NEET paper leak. He will have to resign,' he said.

With both sides holding their ground on the minister's future, Saturday's third round of talks is expected to determine whether negotiations move forward or hit a complete deadlock.