The Centre's initial attempt to resolve the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests over the NEET paper leak reportedly included a proposal to shift then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to another ministry instead of removing him from the Union Cabinet. However, the proposal was rejected by the protesters, according to sources. The reported offer was made during negotiations between senior Union ministers and CJP representatives on July 20, as the agitation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations gathered momentum.

The discussions were aimed at finding a resolution to the standoff while protesters continued to press for accountability over the paper leak controversy. According to sources, Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who were leading the government's negotiations with the CJP, suggested reassigning Dharmendra Pradhan to a different portfolio rather than removing him from the Cabinet. The proposal was reportedly discussed during a meeting held at Nadda's residence in New Delhi. The CJP leadership, however, is said to have rejected the proposal, maintaining that merely changing Pradhan's ministerial responsibilities would not address the concerns raised by students and protesters.

The party reportedly insisted on his complete removal from the Union Cabinet, arguing that accountability was central to restoring public confidence in the examination system. The negotiations took place on the same day that police and protesters clashed during the CJP's "Sansad Chalo" march towards Parliament. The July 20 demonstration witnessed the use of tear gas, lathi charges and other crowd-control measures, with both police and protesters later accusing each other of provoking the violence. The agitation, which centred on allegations of widespread paper leaks and irregularities in public examinations, continued for more than a month.

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Student groups and CJP supporters demanded stronger safeguards for examinations, action against those responsible for the alleged leaks and political accountability at the highest level. The standoff eventually ended after the government accepted several key demands put forward by the protesters. Dharmendra Pradhan subsequently resigned as Union Education Minister, bringing one of the principal demands of the movement to a close.  The government also initiated steps to strengthen laws against examination paper leaks and announced reforms aimed at improving the integrity of the examination system.

The reported details of the early negotiations suggest that both sides explored multiple options before reaching a final resolution. While the government initially considered a cabinet reshuffle involving Pradhan, the protesters remained firm in their demand for his resignation, which ultimately became part of the broader settlement that concluded the 36-day agitation. The developments have highlighted the role of negotiations in resolving one of the country's most significant student-led protest movements in recent years, while also underscoring the political sensitivity surrounding examination reforms and public accountability.

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