New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned Saturday amid mounting pressure from student-protesters who have been demanding his ouster over NEET paper leaks.
In a post on X, the senior BJP leader said he has submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while noting that “the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and in the country, anti-national forces should not take advantage of this situation.”
Pradhan said he will not let the youth of the country get trapped in the vicious cycle of confusion.
Pradhan’s resignation comes even though government sources categorically told the media Friday evening that he would not quit.
Amid protests seeking Pradhan’s resignation and accountability for paper leak cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced setting up fast-track courts and a strict law to deal with cases of paper leaks.
In his resignation letter, posted on X, Pradhan said, “The youth power of India is the real strength of this country. I will not let the youth of the country get trapped in the vicious cycle of confusion; this is my resolve. The situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and in the country, anti-national forces should not take advantage of this situation, the unity of the country should be maintained, the future of even a single student of India should not get entangled in legal complications, our children should spend their time in studies, focus on building a career, keeping this in mind, I have sent my resignation to the Honorable Prime Minister,” Pradhan posted on X.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 25, 2026
Led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), massive protests have been taking place at Jantar Mantar and other parts of the country over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The protests are ongoing at a time when Parliament is in session.
Earlier Thursday night, activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been sitting on indefinite hunger strike in support of the protesters, broke his fast in the presence of Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had welcomed Wangchuk’s decision but said the protest at Jantar Mantar will continue until Pradhan resigns.
In his resignation letter, Pradhan said the youths of India are its real strength, and he has always had unwavering faith in the power of the country’s democracy. He said he deeply respected the aspirations and dreams of India’s youth.
“They are not only the future of India, but also the bearers, builders, and architects of a new and developed India. I am saddened by the events of the last 10 days. This is not a matter of personal prestige for me,” he added.
In his two-page-long letter, Pradhan said he has been dedicated to students, teachers, and education reform for over four decades.
This is democracy. He has resigned. 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… pic.twitter.com/CyhfGDUola
— Cockroach is Back (@Cockroachisback) July 25, 2026
“I have always believed that a strong, inclusive, and visionary education system is the foundation of a strong nation. I deeply respect the aspirations, sentiments, and just expectations of the nation’s youth. Fulfilling the dreams of India’s young generation has been a moral commitment in all of our political and social lives. I express my gratitude to the Prime Minister for the opportunity I have had to serve the nation under his visionary leadership,” he added.
Pradhan maintained that when irregularities were discovered in the NEET-UG exam held on May 3, 2026 the government India immediately took cognizance of this, entrusted the investigation to the CBI, canceled the exam, and rescheduled the exam.
“It was also decided to conduct the exam in CBT (Computer-Based Test) mode from next year. During this period, our primary priority was to ensure the smooth conduct of examinations for over 2 million students. A whole-of-government approach was employed to achieve this. The Government of India, along with the state government, especially the district administration, played a crucial role. Furthermore, with the cooperation of students, guardians, and parents, the examination was completed on June 21, 2026,” he explained.
Defending the action of the government and his ministry, Pradhan said from day one, he took responsibility for this and never turned away from this situation.
“I was determined not to let the prospects of any meritorious student be jeopardized by the exam mafia, not to allow any injustice to happen to any student. The NEET-UG results declared on July 16 were satisfactory, with many meritorious students from poor backgrounds also achieving success. But even during this time, people holding responsible positions tried to create obstacles to mislead many students, which made me extremely sad,” he said.
This is an updated version of the report
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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