Dharmendra Pradhan resigns as Education Minister over NEET-UG row

union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned from his post, submitting his resignation to PM Modi on Saturday in a bid to meet the non-negotiable demand of the CJP amid escalating protests over the NEET-UG controversy and growing demands for accountability.

His resignation comes ahead of the third round of talks between representatives of the CJP and union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Jitendra Singh.

The resignation follows weeks of protests at Jantar Mantar over alleged examination irregularities and demands for Pradhan’s removal.

The agitation intensified after the “Sansad Chalo” march towards Parliament on July 20, 2026, where a police crackdown led to clashes between security personnel and protesters, leaving several people injured and triggering widespread public anger.

In his resignation letter, shared on X, Pradhan said he had spent more than four decades working for students, teachers, and education reforms, adding that he had always believed a strong, inclusive, and visionary education system was the foundation of a strong nation.

“I deeply respect the aspirations, emotions, and legitimate expectations of the youth of our country. Fulfilling the dreams of India’s young generation has always been a moral commitment of all of us in public and social life. I express my gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation under his visionary leadership,” he said. .

“However, irregularities were found in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026. The Government of India immediately took cognizance of the matter, handed over the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination, and announced a date for re-conducting it. Along with this, it was decided that from next year onwards, the examination would be conducted in CBT (Computer-Based Test) mode,” he said. .

During this period, our foremost priority was to ensure that the examination of more than 2 million students was conducted smoothly. “A whole-of-government approach was adopted for this purpose. The Government of India, state governments, and especially district administrations played an important role in this effort. With the cooperation of students and their parents, the examination was successfully completed on June 21, 2026, he wrote in his resignation letter .

From the very first day, I accepted responsibility and never turned away from this situation. My resolve was that we would not allow the future of any deserving student to be harmed because of examination mafias, and that no student would face injustice, the letter said.

The NEET-UG results announced on July 16 were satisfactory, with many talented students from economically weaker backgrounds also achieving success.

However, even during this period, some individuals holding positions of responsibility attempted to create obstacles by misleading many students, which deeply saddened me.

“I have always had unwavering faith in the strength of our democracy and have always respected the aspirations, dreams, and expectations of our youth. They are not only the future of India but also the carriers, creators, and architects of a new and developed India,” he said in the letter.

He mentioned that the events of the past 10 days have deeply saddened him. “This is not a matter of personal reputation for me.India’s youth power is the true strength of this nation.My resolve is that the youth of the country should not be trapped in a cycle of confusion and misinformation.”

He said that considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, and “keeping in mind that anti-national forces should not take advantage of this situation, that the unity of the nation should remain intact, that the future of even a single Indian student should not become entangled in legal complications, and that our children should focus their time on studies and building their careers.”

he said that he has sent his resignation to the Prime Minister.

Moreover, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi used a press conference in New Delhi on July 25 to restate three demands he says students are making over the NEET paper-leak controversy: the sacking of union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accountability for officials responsible for police action against protesters, and a public apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking after meeting students who had been on hunger strike, Gandhi rejected any suggestion that simply moving Pradhan to a different ministry would resolve the crisis, calling him emblematic of the harm done to students’ futures, and argued that those who used force against demonstrators should face punishment.

He also criticized the government’s response to the protests, accusing it of restricting metro services, roads, shops, and internet access in affected areas, and took aim at Modi’s recent comments on exam reforms as failing to address the core demand for Pradhan’s removal.

The row continues to disrupt the Monsoon Session of Parliament, with the Opposition pressing for accountability while the government defends its record and points to planned anti-paper-leak measures.