Dharmendra Pradhan Steps Down as Education Minister Amid NEET Leak Protests
Resignation comes after days of student unrest and mounting political pressure.
Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned as India’s Education Minister following massive student protests over the NEET-UG paper leak scandal. His departure fulfills the core demand of demonstrators who had insisted that his resignation was “non-negotiable.”
Pradhan announced his decision in a detailed post on X, stressing that stepping down was not about personal prestige but about taking responsibility. “From the very first day, I took responsibility for the matter and never turned away from this situation. My resolve was that we would not allow the examination mafia to destroy the prospects of any meritorious student,” he wrote.
The move marks a rare instance of a senior minister in the Modi government resigning under sustained public and political pressure. Sources told India Today that Pradhan resigned on his own, taking moral responsibility, rather than being dismissed. The government reportedly wanted to ensure he had a dignified exit.
Pradhan, a BJP leader from Odisha, first became Education Minister in 2021 and was reappointed after the party’s victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. His tenure was marred by repeated exam paper leaks, with the NEET-UG leak in May proving to be the breaking point.
In his resignation note, Pradhan said the events of the past ten days had left him “deeply saddened,” particularly the violent clashes on July 20 during a student march to Parliament. More than 180 protesters and police personnel were injured in the unrest, which intensified calls for accountability.