NEET 2026 Leak: Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns as Minister

On July 25, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Council of Ministers amid nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, marking the first resignation of a Minister from the Modi government in the past 12 years.

Pradhan said he is disturbed to see the series of events that have unfolded in the last 10 days and sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I took responsibility of NEET paper leak from day one,” he said.

Reacting to Pradhan’s resignation, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke claimed credit for the development. “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,” he added.

CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the party will not leave the next round of talks with the Central government until all their demands are accepted and provided in writing. Speaking to reporters at Jantar Mantar, Das said, “We’ve been called at 3:30 pm. We’re not going anywhere until all our demands are met and they give them in writing. This is a huge victory.”

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.

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.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s post on X. | Photo Credit: @dpradhanbjp/X

Expressing disappointment over the political developments surrounding the issue, Pradhan alleged that certain individuals had attempted to mislead students.

Pradhan, 57, has held several key portfolios in Modi’s cabinet over the past 12 years, including in petroleum and natural gas, steel and skills development. He took charge of the education ministry in 2021 and retained the portfolio after the 2024 general election.

Explaining the reasons behind his resignation, 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.

Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Modi for granting him the opportunity to serve as Education Minister and expressed gratitude to his Cabinet colleagues, ministry officials, and staff. This development comes amidst widespread nationwide protests and follows the 26-day hunger strike by activist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar.

Meanwhile, the Centre is preparing to introduce a stringent anti-paper leak law, which will establish Special Fast-Track Courts and a Special Task Force (STF), alongside other key provisions, to curb paper leaks across the country.

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram welcomed the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, expressing hope that the development would pave the way for constructive discussions both in Parliament and in the public domain.

Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the government should listen to people’s voices and hoped steps would be taken to prevent paper leaks. The resignation was a “big win for democracy” and congratulated the people of the country, he said.

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar said Pradhan’s resignation is a major victory for the unity of youth power and democracy in the country. He added that the struggle and determination shown by the youth over 28 consecutive days at Jantar Mantar in Delhi in the NEET paper leak case is truly commendable.

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