Updated on: 25 Jul 2026
NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, stating that his decision was taken to safeguard the future of students and to ensure that “anti-national forces” do not exploit the large-scale protests over the alleged NEET paper leak. Pradhan, whose resignation had been the principal demand of the protesters, made the announcement on X just hours before the third round of talks between the Centre and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
Before the third round of discussions, CJP leaders maintained that Pradhan’s resignation was “non-negotiable.” Within a few hours, the minister announced his resignation through a detailed post on social media. His departure marks one of the rare instances in which a senior minister in the Modi government has resigned following prolonged public protests and mounting political pressure.
Facing criticism over a series of examination paper leak controversies, Pradhan clarified that his decision to step down was “not a matter of personal prestige.” The alleged leak of the NEET-UG examination paper in May is widely seen as the turning point that intensified demands for his resignation.
In his resignation letter, Pradhan said he was “deeply saddened” by the developments of the past 10 days, particularly referring to the large-scale violence that erupted during the July 20 students’ march to Parliament. According to reports, more than 180 students, protesters, and police personnel were injured during the clashes.
