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Dharmendra Pradhan resigns as education minister amid massive paper leak protests
Dharmendra Pradhan said that he was taking the decision to resign keeping the future and career of students in mind. He has sent his resignation to PM Modi.
Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, after weeks of massive student protests in Delhi seeking his resignation over exam irregularities, particularly the NEET-UG paper leak.
Pradhan announced his resignation from the post on X. He said that he was taking the decision keeping the future of students in mind. "...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...," the letter reads. Follow live updates on the CJP protest here.
The development comes a day after spokespersons from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the Abhijeet Dipke-led outfit that has been leading the protests, met union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh.
After the meeting, the CJP had said that the government had sought day's time to decide on Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
Read Dharmendra Pradhan's full letter here (Translated from Hindi).
My young friends,
I have been dedicated to students, teachers, and education reform for over four decades. It has always been my firm belief that a strong, inclusive, and visionary education system is the foundation of a strong nation.
I deeply respect the aspirations, emotions, and legitimate expectations of the country'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 Honorable Prime Minister for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation under his visionary leadership.
However, irregularities were found in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026. Taking immediate cognizance, the Government of India handed over the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the exam, and announced a re-examination date. Along with this, it was decided to conduct this exam in CBT (Computer-based-test) mode starting next year.
During this period, our primary priority was to ensure that the exam for over 20 lakh students was conducted smoothly. For this, work was carried out under a "whole of government approach." In this, along with the Government of India, state governments and particularly district administrations played a crucial role. Furthermore, with the cooperation of students, guardians, and parents, this examination was completed on June 21, 2026.
From day one, I took responsibility for this and never turned away from the situation. It was my resolve that we would not allow the future of any meritorious student to be ruined by the exam mafia, nor would we allow injustice to happen to any student.
The NEET-UG results declared on July 16 were satisfactory, in which many meritorious students from underprivileged backgrounds also achieved success.
However, even during this time, people sitting in responsible positions attempted to create hurdles and mislead many students, which deeply distressed my mind.
I have always been someone with unwavering faith in the strength of our democracy, and I have always deeply respected the aspirations, dreams, and expectations of the youth. They are not just the future of India, but also the carriers, builders, and architects of a new and developed India.
Looking at the developments over the last 10 days, my heart is deeply saddened. This is not a matter of personal prestige for me.
The youth power of India is the true strength of this country.
We will not let the country's youth power fall into a web of confusion—this is my resolve.
Considering that anti-national forces should not take advantage of the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, that the unity of the nation remains intact, that the future of even a single student in India does not get entangled in legal complexities, and that our children invest their time in studying and focus on building their careers—considering all of this, I have sent my resignation to the Honorable Prime Minister.
I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Honorable Prime Minister for his guidance, trust, and continuous support. At the same time, I also express my gratitude to all my respected colleagues in the Council of Ministers, officials and employees of the ministry, and all those individuals with whom I had the privilege to work. Service to the nation is the highest priority of my life. I will always remain dedicated to it.
With the blessings of Lord Shree Jagannath Ji, I will continue to dedicate myself in every possible way in the future to fulfill the aspirations of Mother India, the people of Odisha, and the youth of the country.
Yours,
Dharmendra Pradhan
CJP welcomes move, celebrations at Jantar Mantar
The CJP, which had long been seeking Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, welcomed the union minister's announcement. “The Education Minister has submitted his resignation. Chhatra Shakti Zindabad (Long live Student Power)!”
During a media interaction, Dipke later said: "Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned. And this resignation is proof that if you people are not afraid, if you people do not bow down to this government, then we can take the resignation of anyone."
Shortly after Pradhan's announcement, the CJP shared a video on Instagram, showing people at Jantar Mantar celebrating and Dipke sitting on his knees and on his phone.
The CJP began its protest in Delhi last month and the students' support to the agitation only grew ever since climate activist Sonam Wangchuk began his hunger strike. Despite Wangchuk calling off his fast this week, the CJP stayed firm on Pradhan's resignation demand, making it clear that “nothing lesser” would be acceptable.
Agreement on 2 demands ‘in-principle’
The CJP had three key demands - Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, compensation for family of students who died by suicide, and assurance of no legal action against protesters.
After the second CJP-government meeting on Friday, Dipke's party had said that the government had “in-principle” approved two of three demands and would decide on Pradhan's resignation later.
Roughly 24 hours later, Pradhan has resigned.
The NEET-UG 2026 exam took place on May 3, but the government announced its cancellation on May 12, citing a paper leak. The decision triggered massive uproar and the backlash only grew after several aspirants died by suicide. A re-exam took place on June 21 and results were announced this month.
