Veteran actor Shabana Azmi recently hailed the students protesting against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, saying the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan marked only the "first step" in their struggle and called for a complete overhaul of the education system.

Pradhan resigned on Saturday amid mounting pressure over alleged irregularities in the conduct of several competitive examinations.

His resignation came after weeks of student protests spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which demanded accountability in the examination system and his removal from office.

"So proud of our youth. I am truly humbled. Thank you for showing us that our Constitution is our greatest strength," the veteran actor told PTI.

Azmi has been among the most vocal film personalities backing the student movement.

Earlier this week, she joined the protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where she expressed solidarity with the demonstrators and condemned the police crackdown.

Azmi, who was scheduled to join the students' protest in Mumbai but was unable to attend after being diagnosed with swine flu, said the movement should continue until broader reforms are implemented.

"It is the first step towards the students' victory. But the resistance must continue till the educational system is overhauled and all demands are met," Azmi added.

The protests, which began at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 20 over alleged paper leaks and examination irregularities, intensified earlier this week after police used batons, tear gas and water cannons to disperse students marching towards Parliament, drawing condemnation from opposition parties, activists and several members of the film fraternity.

In his resignation letter, Pradhan said he was "disturbed" by the developments of the past 10 days and had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.