Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as the Union education minister on Saturday, weeks into protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party over irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. In a letter posted on X, Pradhan said the decision was meant to stop the controversy “from harming students’ futures” and to ensure that “anti-national forces do not exploit the situation.“The letter, written in Hindi and addressed to the country’s youth, framed the resignation as an act of moral responsibility rather than a response to political pressure. “This is not a matter of personal prestige for me,” Pradhan wrote.
Background to the resignation
Irregularities surfaced in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026. According to Pradhan, the government moved quickly once the discrepancies were detected, handing the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation, cancelling the exam and announcing a re-test. The re-examination was held on June 21 and results were declared on July 16.In his letter, Pradhan described the government’s response as a “whole-of-government approach,” crediting state governments and district administrations for helping the process along. He also noted that the examination will move to a Computer-Based Test format starting next year.“From the very first day, I took responsibility and never turned away from this situation,” Pradhan wrote. “My resolve was that we would not allow the prospects of any meritorious student to be ruined because of the examination mafia, nor would we allow injustice to be done to any student.”
Allegations of misinformation
Pradhan used part of the letter to accuse unnamed figures of misleading students during the crisis. “Even during this period, individuals occupying responsible positions tried to create obstacles by misleading students, which caused me deep anguish,” he wrote.He did not name anyone, though he has criticised Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over the issue in recent days.
Reason for resignation
Pradhan tied his decision directly to the protests at Jantar Mantar and their spread across the country. “Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, and to ensure that anti-national forces do not take advantage of it, that the country’s unity remains intact, that not a single student’s future gets entangled in legal complications, and that our children devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers, I have submitted my resignation to the Hon’ble Prime Minister,” he wrote.He closed the letter by thanking the Prime Minister and his colleagues in the Council of Ministers, and said he would continue working for “the aspirations of Mother India, the people of Odisha and the youth of the country.”
