Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister on Saturday, weeks after protests led by the Cockroach Janta party over irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. In a letter published in X, Pradhan said the decision was aimed at stopping the controversy “from harming the future of students” and ensuring 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.
Antecedents of the resignation
The irregularities surfaced in the NEET-UG exam held on May 3, 2026. According to Pradhan, the government acted quickly once the discrepancies were detected, handed over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation, canceled the exam and announced a new test. The re-examination was held on June 21 and the 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. He also noted that the exam will move to a computer-based test format from next year.“From day one, I took responsibility and never shied away from this situation,” Pradhan wrote. “My decision was that we would not allow the prospects of any deserving student to be ruined because of the exam mafia, nor would we allow injustice to be done to any student.”
Complaints of misinformation
Pradhan used part of the letter to accuse unnamed people of cheating students during the crisis. “Even during this period, people in positions of responsibility tried to create obstacles by deceiving students, which caused me deep distress,” he wrote.He did not name anyone, although in recent days he has criticized Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi over the issue.
Reason for resignation
Pradhan linked his decision directly to the protests at Jantar Mantar and their spread across the country. “Considering the situation that has arisen in Jantar Mantar and across the country, and to ensure that anti-national forces do not take advantage of it, that the unity of the country remains intact, that no student’s future is entangled in legal complications and that our children devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers, I have tendered my resignation,” the Prime Minister wrote.He closed the letter by thanking the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues, and said he will continue to work for “the aspirations of Mother India, the people of Odisha and the youth of the country”.