Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Council of Ministers on Saturday after days of nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. Pradhan said he stepped down for the sake of students and sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said he wants the youth to stay focused on education, not confusion.
Why Pradhan resigned
In his letter, he wrote, “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.”
The NEET-UG exam took place on May 3, 2026, and soon afterward, reports of irregularities emerged. Pradhan explained the steps the government took and wrote, “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.”
Pradhan said the government’s main goal was to protect students during the re-examination process and that he took responsibility for the situation and never turned away from it.
He wrote, “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.”
“The NEET-UG results announced on July 16 were satisfactory, with many meritorious students from economically weaker backgrounds also achieving success.”
Pradhan said some people tried to mislead students during the protests, and this saddened him.
He wrote, “However, during this period, several individuals in positions of responsibility tried to create obstacles and mislead students, which deeply saddened me.”
Protests at Jantar Mantar
The resignation comes after days of protests by CJP and activist Sonam Wangchuk’s 26-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Pradhan said he did not want the protests to be misused and wrote, “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.”
Pradhan thanks PM Modi
Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opportunity to serve as Union Education Minister. He also thanked his Cabinet colleagues and the ministry staff.
He wrote, “I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister for his guidance, trust, and continuous support. Serving the nation is the highest priority of my life, and I will always remain dedicated to it.”
Bureau Report
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