Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday announced his resignation in the wake of the ongoing protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over the NEET-UG paper leak and following Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike.
In a two-page public letter addressed to the country’s youth, Pradhan said he had submitted his resignation to PM Modi in the interest of students and to prevent the issue from being exploited politically.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 25, 2026
Recalling his four decades of association with education as a student, teacher and education reform advocate, Pradhan said he had always believed that a strong, inclusive and transparent education system forms the foundation of a strong nation. He thanked Prime Minister Modi for allowing him to serve the country under his leadership and said working towards fulfilling the aspirations of India’s youth had been his foremost responsibility.
Referring to the NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3, 2026, Pradhan acknowledged that irregularities had surfaced during the exam. He said the Centre acted immediately by handing over the probe to the CBI, cancelling the examination and announcing a fresh test. He also noted that the government had decided to shift NEET to a computer-based test (CBT) format from next year to improve transparency.
The former minister said the government’s priority was to ensure that more than 20 lakh students could appear for the re-examination smoothly. According to him, the Centre, state governments, district administrations, students and parents worked together to successfully conduct the fresh examination on June 21.
Pradhan asserted that he accepted responsibility from the very first day and never tried to evade accountability. He said he was determined to ensure that no deserving student suffered because of the “exam mafia” and that no injustice was done to any candidate. He also expressed satisfaction over the NEET-UG results announced on July 16, stating that many meritorious students from economically weaker backgrounds had succeeded.
However, Pradhan said he was deeply saddened that, despite the government’s efforts, “people occupying responsible positions” attempted to mislead students and create obstacles. Without naming anyone directly, he suggested that recent developments had diverted attention away from students’ interests.
Commenting on the protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where Sonam Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike demanding accountability over the NEET paper leak, Pradhan appealed that India’s youth should not be drawn into confusion or prolonged legal and political battles. He said anti-national forces should not be allowed to exploit the prevailing situation and urged students to focus on their education and careers instead.
Explaining his decision to step down, Pradhan said his resignation was not about personal reputation but about protecting the country’s youth. He reiterated his faith in democracy and described young Indians as the architects of a developed India. The outgoing minister thanked Prime Minister Modi, his Cabinet colleagues, ministry officials and everyone he had worked with, adding that national service would remain his highest priority.
Pradhan concluded the letter by saying that, with the blessings of Lord Jagannath, he would continue serving Bharat Mata, the people of Odisha and the aspirations of India’s youth in whatever capacity possible.
