The students' stir over the NEET-UG paper leak may have ended with the resignation of the then Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, and the Central Government agreeing to meet the other demands of the protesters, but the debate around it has certainly not ended. The race to take credit has already begun. Depending on political taste, it is being sold either as a defeat of the government or as proof of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concern and largeness of heart.

The fact, however, is likely to be far more prosaic. This was not an act of Modi's magnanimity but a political decision made with the fast-approaching state elections in mind. Five states go to polls early next year. Except Punjab, the rest are BJP-ruled. Any setback in these states could have a bearing on the far more crucial 2029 Lok Sabha elections, when the BJP will be seeking a fourth straight term in office.

Modi's Political Calculus

Let us be clear: Modi is no saint. He is a hard-nosed politician who dislikes defeat and, more importantly, has rarely known it. In a quarter-century, he has not really been defeated at the hustings. He took over as Gujarat Chief Minister in October 2001, and the BJP went on to win three consecutive terms under his leadership. His winning streak only widened when the party projected him as its........

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