The Hindu Editorial Analysis : 26th July 2026

The Hindu Editorial Analysis

We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.

Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns; CJP Calls Off Stir

• As student protests over paper leaks spread across many States and became a big political crisis for the Narendra Modi government, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post on Saturday.
• After his resignation, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced that it was ending the protests at Jantar Mantar, which had been the main centre of the movement for the last 36 days.
• President Droupadi Murmu accepted Mr. Pradhan’s resignation and appointed Pralhad Joshi as the new Education Minister.
• In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he shared on X, Mr. Pradhan said he was resigning on his own so that “anti-national” elements could not misuse the situation created by the protests.
• As soon as the news of his resignation came out in the afternoon, the protesters at Jantar Mantar celebrated with great excitement.
• Speaking to the cheering crowd, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said, “We have done it.”
• Activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose hunger strike gave fresh strength to the protests, called the resignation a victory for democracy, peace, patience and determination.
• In a post on X, Mr. Wangchuk congratulated the CJP and the country’s Gen Z, and thanked people across India for overcoming fear and “the fear of fear” and standing up for what they believed was right.
• The resignation came just before Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh met CJP spokespersons Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das for talks to end the protests.
• At a joint press conference with the Union Ministers, the CJP leaders said they were ending the protest in “good faith” because the government had accepted their two main demands.
• The first demand was ₹1 crore as compensation for the families of every student who died by suicide because of the NEET paper leaks.
• The second demand was that no action should be taken against any student who had taken part in the protests.
• Nadda said the government would give “honourable compensation”, according to the rules, to the families of students who died by suicide after the NEET examination was cancelled.
• He also assured that all FIRs filed against the protesters would be withdrawn.
• On the CJP’s larger list of education reforms, Mr. Nadda said the government would discuss those demands and continue talks with the organisation.
• Congratulating the students on their victory, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that Mr. Pradhan’s resignation was a symbolic but very important step towards rebuilding the country’s education system.
• However, Mr. Gandhi said that two important demands were still left.
• He said the people responsible for beating the students should be held accountable.
• He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the students.
• Gandhi said this should also send a message to farmers, labourers, poor people and everyone else who, according to him, was being attacked and oppressed by the present government.
• Urging people not to be afraid, he said, “Daro mat (don’t fear). Let’s get rid of this regime.”
• In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also said that the Prime Minister should apologise to the country’s youth.
• He further demanded strict action against those who used lathis and pellet guns against the protesters.
• The government now hopes that both Houses of Parliament will work normally after the first week of the Monsoon Session was disrupted because the Opposition kept demanding Mr. Pradhan’s resignation.
• Even though people were celebrating at Jantar Mantar, there were also tense moments when three senior police officers were injured in stone-pelting near the protest site.
• Police quickly brought the situation under control by using tear gas and carrying out a mild lathi-charge.
• Government sources said that by Friday evening the government had decided that Mr. Pradhan would have to resign to bring the protests to an end.
• According to the sources, this decision was taken because the protests were spreading to different parts of the country.
• The sources also said that with Delhi University set to reopen soon and protests reaching tier-II cities, the government felt that asking Mr. Pradhan to resign was the wiser decision.

Around 45% of India’s Exports to U.S. Exempted from New 10% Tariff: Centre

• A day after the U.S. announced permanent tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners over goods made using forced labour, the Centre said that about 45% of India’s exports to the U.S. will not be affected by the new additional 10% tariff.
• The government also said it is still holding talks with the U.S. to work out a quota-based system for India’s textile exports to the American market.
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said the final additional tariff has been fixed at 10%, which is lower than the earlier proposed 12.5% for India and some other countries.
• According to the Ministry, a large share of India’s exports to the U.S., including generic medicines, smartphones, and some other specified products, will continue to face no extra duty and will remain outside the new 10% tariff.
• The Ministry also explained that products already covered under Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, such as steel, aluminium, and auto parts, will not have to pay the new additional 10% duty.
• It further said that the Section 232 tariffs, which were imposed last year and are between 25% and 50%, apply almost equally to all countries, so India is not at any special disadvantage because of them.
• Because of these exemptions, the government estimates that around 45% of India’s exports to the U.S. will remain outside the scope of the additional 10% Section 301 duty.
• The Ministry also accepted that the remaining 55% of India’s exports to the U.S. will have to pay the additional 10% duty.
• However, it said India’s overall tariff burden is still lower than that of most other countries.
• On Thursday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released the final findings of its investigation into whether America’s trading partners were doing enough to stop the import of goods made using forced labour.
• The Ministry said the Government of India stayed in close touch with the USTR throughout the investigation.
• It added that because of these continuous efforts, India has been placed in the lower category of additional tariffs under the final decision.
• This means that among the 60 countries investigated, India has received a lower tariff than 38 other countries.
• In its report, the USTR also announced a “textile mechanism” through tariff-rate quotas for Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
• The purpose of this system is to encourage these countries to buy more U.S. cotton and textile products.
• India was not included in this textile mechanism.
• However, India said it is continuing discussions with the U.S. government regarding India’s textile exports.

A Story of Courage and Glory as Jhandu Opens His Account

• Winning the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event at the Commonwealth Games in the Scottish Event Campus on Friday was a huge achievement for Jhandu Kumar, as he had spent most of his life fighting poverty.
• Jhandu won India’s first medal of the Games by scoring 130.9 points after successfully lifting 181kg and 190kg.
• The medal came at around 15 p.m. local time, when most people in India were asleep.
• Even then, the small group of Indian supporters and officials at the venue cheered for an athlete whose journey to the podium was full of struggles, hard work and sacrifices.
• Nigeria’s Idris Riluwan won the gold medal with 8 points, while England’s Matthew Harding took the silver with 131 points.
• After winning the medal, Jhandu thanked his coaches and parents for always supporting him.
• While many lifters shouted before every bench press attempt, Jhandu stayed calm and focused throughout the competition.
• He hardly showed any emotion, maybe because he had already faced so many struggles in life that he had learned to keep them inside.
• Jhandu was born in Harnaut in Nalanda district of Bihar and comes from a simple family.
• His father sold vegetables, and Jhandu spent much of his childhood helping his parents.
• To help his family earn more money, he did different small jobs and even drove an e-rickshaw after their financial condition became worse.
• When asked about those difficult days, Jhandu stayed silent for a few moments and could not say much, possibly remembering everything that he and his family had gone through.
• Before Jhandu could reply, P. Singh, head coach of the Indian men’s and women’s para powerlifting team, made an emotional request.
• Singh appealed to both the Central and State Governments to properly reward Jhandu and give him a government job, saying he truly deserved it after everything he had faced.
• Jhandu’s life changed when Paralympic medallist Rajinder Singh Rahelu noticed his talent and brought him to the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar, where he has been training ever since.
• Watching his student win India’s first medal of the Commonwealth Games was an emotional moment for the experienced coach.
• Representing Bihar in the 72kg category, Jhandu became the National Champion in 2024-25 with a personal best lift of 205kg.
• He also proved himself as one of India’s brightest para powerlifting talents by winning a bronze medal at the 2025 Para Powerlifting World Cup in Beijing.
• Rajinder Singh Rahelu said Jhandu has the ability to do even better and win gold medals at future World Championships.
• He said Jhandu has excellent lifting technique and, more importantly, is mentally very strong.
• Rajinder also praised Jhandu for staying calm and showing quiet determination.
• After patiently giving every interview that was requested, Jhandu was wheeled away from the venue.
• As he left, he quietly accepted congratulations from volunteers, officials and people around him with a gentle smile before leaving the arena.

Important Questions

1. Why did Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan say Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was resigning from the post?
2. What were the two main demands accepted by the government before the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called off the protest?
3. Why will around 45% of India’s exports to the U.S. remain outside the new additional 10% tariff?
4. Why did the Ministry of Commerce and Industry say India has received a lower tariff than 38 other countries?
5. How did Jhandu Kumar’s journey from poverty lead to India’s first medal at the Commonwealth Games?
6. Why did coach Rajinder Singh Rahelu believe Jhandu Kumar could win gold medals at future World Championships?

Important Vocabulary

1. Epicentre – The main centre of an activity or event.
2. Determination – Firm resolve to achieve something.
3. Symbolic – Representing an idea rather than having only practical value.
4. Disrupted – Interrupted so that normal activity stopped.
5. Exempted – Officially freed from a rule or duty.
6. Specified – Clearly identified or stated.
7. Investigation – A careful inquiry to find facts.
8. Mechanism – A system or process for achieving something.
9. Achievement – Something accomplished through effort and skill.
10. Sacrifices – Things given up for a greater purpose.
11. Emotional – Showing or causing strong feelings.
12. Determination – Firm resolve to continue despite difficulties.

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