New Delhi, July 25: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday amid nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, particularly the NEET-UG 2026 examination. Announcing his decision in a letter posted on X, Pradhan said his resignation was “not a matter of personal prestige” and was aimed at protecting the interests of students and the nation.
In his statement, Pradhan said the Centre acted swiftly after irregularities surfaced in the May 3 NEET-UG examination by handing the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), cancelling the examination and ordering a re-test. He added that the government has also decided to conduct NEET-UG in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode from next year.
The former minister said ensuring the smooth conduct of the re-examination for over 20 lakh candidates remained the government’s top priority. The re-test was successfully held on June 21 through a coordinated effort involving the Centre, state governments and district administrations, he said.
Taking responsibility for the controversy, Pradhan said he had “never turned away from the situation” and was determined that no deserving student’s future would be jeopardised by the “exam mafia”. He also said the NEET-UG results declared on July 16 reflected the success of many meritorious students, including those from underprivileged backgrounds.
Pradhan alleged that certain individuals in responsible positions attempted to mislead students during the crisis, adding that he was “pained by the events of the past ten days”. He said his resignation was intended to prevent anti-national forces from exploiting the situation, preserve national unity and ensure that students’ futures were not entangled in legal disputes.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Cabinet colleagues and officials of the Education Ministry, Pradhan said serving the nation would remain the highest priority of his life. “With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, I will continue to dedicate myself to the aspirations of Mother India, the people of Odisha and the youth of the country,” he said.
The resignation follows weeks of protests over alleged exam paper leaks and testing irregularities. Demonstrators held sit-ins at Jantar Mantar demanding Pradhan’s resignation, while the movement intensified after activist Sonam Wangchuk was hospitalised during his 26-day hunger strike and following police action against protesters marching towards Parliament.
