The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Saturday reiterated that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation remains a non-negotiable demand, hours before the third round of talks with the Centre. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said there was "no point in further discussion" if the government was unwilling to remove the minister.

The Centre and CJP held a second round of talks on Friday, during which the government agreed in principle to two key demands -no legal action against protesting students and compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak. However, no decision was taken on Pradhan's resignation.

Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh said the government would respond after internal discussions during the third round of talks scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Government sources, however, indicated that Pradhan's resignation is not under consideration and that the Centre continues to back the minister.

Meanwhile, the Centre has announced a series of measures to curb examination paper leaks, including fast-track courts, stricter anti-paper leak laws, replacement of the education secretary, and the dismissal of 47 National Testing Agency (NTA) officials. Ranka said these steps were insufficient, insisting that ministerial accountability must begin with Pradhan's resignation.