NEW DELHI, Jul 25: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday announced his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers, saying he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy.
In his resignation letter, Pradhan said he was stepping down in the larger interest of students to ensure that the country’s youth do not become “trapped in a web of confusion”.
Recalling his association with the education sector, Pradhan said he had spent more than four decades working with students, teachers and education reforms.
“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,” he wrote.
Referring to the alleged irregularities in the May 3 NEET-UG examination, Pradhan said the Centre had acted swiftly by ordering a CBI investigation, cancelling the examination and announcing a re-test.
“After irregularities surfaced, the Government of India immediately handed over the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination and announced a fresh date for the re-examination. It was also decided that from next year, the examination would be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode,” he said.
The Sambalpur MP said the government’s foremost priority had been to protect the interests of more than two million students appearing for the examination.
“From the very first day, I took responsibility for the situation and never turned away from it. Our resolve was to ensure that no deserving student’s future was harmed because of the examination controversy,” he said.
Pradhan noted that the NEET-UG results declared on July 16 reflected the success of many meritorious students, including candidates from economically weaker sections.
He, however, expressed disappointment over what he described as attempts by certain individuals to mislead students and politicise the issue.
“The events of the past ten days have saddened me. This is not a matter of personal prestige. We must not allow the country’s youth to become trapped in a web of confusion. The situation at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere 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 stated.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for entrusting him with the Education Ministry and expressed gratitude to his Cabinet colleagues, ministry officials and staff for their support.
“Serving the nation remains the highest priority of my life, and I will continue to remain dedicated to that cause,” he said.
Pradhan’s resignation comes amid widespread protests across the country over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and follows activist Sonam Wangchuk’s 26-day hunger strike demanding examination reforms and accountability.
Meanwhile, the Centre is preparing to implement a stringent anti-paper leak law that proposes Special Fast-Track Courts, a Special Task Force (STF) and other measures aimed at preventing examination malpractices across the country.
