Amid massive protests by the CJP at Delhi Jantar Mantar, Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday resigned as education minister amid massive protests over NEET paper leak.Taking to X, he said, "To ensure that anti-national elements are not benefitted by the situation at Jantar Mantar and across the country, that the nation remains united, students in India do not get tangled in legal complexities and focus on their studies and their career, I have tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister.”
'Long live Student Power': CJP reacts to Pradhan's resignation
The CJP took to X and reacted to the development, saying the Education Minister has submitted his resignation. ‘Long live Student Power’, it said.
Abhijeet Dipke says there's no need to be afraid
On the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Founding President of Cockroach Janta Party, Abhijeet Dipke says, "There's no need to be afraid. This is democracy. He has resigned, but we have two more demands. We won't go like this. Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned. But the families of the children who committed suicide should receive compensation of one crore rupees. They should get it. One crore rupees compensation to all those families. And second, these police goons who acted on the 20th. Action must be taken against the police officers for that. Remember, do not mess with cockroaches..."
Stepping down in the larger interest of students: Dharmendra Pradhan
In his resignation letter, Dharmendra Pradhan stated that he was stepping down in the larger interest of students to ensure that the country's youth do not become "trapped in a web of confusion."
In his resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan highlighted his long-standing association with education and reaffirmed his commitment to the aspirations of India's youth.
"For more than four decades, I have been associated with students, teachers, and the cause of education reform. I have always believed that a strong, inclusive, and forward-looking education system is the foundation of a strong nation," Pradhan said.
Pradhan says Centre acted promptly after irregularities surfaced in NEET exam
Recalling the NEET-UG controversy, Pradhan stated that the Centre acted promptly after irregularities surfaced in the May 3 examination. "However, irregularities were found in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026. The Government of India immediately took cognisance of the matter, handed over the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination, and announced a date for the re-examination. Along with this, it was decided that from next year onwards, the examination would be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode," he said.
The Sambalpur MP emphasised that the government's priority was to ensure that the interests of over two million students were protected during the re-examination process.
"During this period, our primary concern was to ensure that the examination for more than two million students was conducted smoothly... From the very first day, I took responsibility for the situation and never turned away from it. My resolve was that we would not allow the prospects of any meritorious student to be harmed because of the examination controversy," Pradhan said.
He noted that the NEET-UG results declared on July 16 reflected the success of several meritorious students, including those from economically weaker sections. “The NEET-UG results announced on July 16 were satisfactory, with many meritorious students from economically weaker backgrounds also achieving success," he said.
Dharmendra Pradhan explains reasons behind his resignation
Explaining the reasons behind his resignation, Dharmendra Pradhan said the ongoing protests should not be exploited by anti-national forces and stressed that students should be able to focus on their education.
"The events of the past 10 days have saddened me. This is not a matter of personal prestige for me... It is my resolve that we will not allow the country's youth power to become trapped in a web of confusion. The situation that has emerged at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere in the country should not be exploited by anti-national forces... Keeping these considerations in mind, I have sent my resignation to the Hon'ble Prime Minister," he said.
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