New Delhi, July 25, 2026 (Diurna) — Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday amid nationwide student protests over the alleged leak of the NEET-UG question paper, announcing the decision in a letter posted on X and addressed to his “young friends”.
Pradhan said he had sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in view of the situation at Jantar Mantar, where the Cockroach Janta Party had been leading a sit-in demanding his removal, and at protest sites across the country.
“Considering the situation that has developed at Jantar Mantar and across the country — that anti-national forces should not take advantage of this situation, that the unity of the country should be preserved, that not even a single student’s future should get entangled in legal complications, and that our children should devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers — I have sent my resignation to the Hon’ble Prime Minister,” he wrote in the letter, published in full by NDTV and the Times of India.
The resignation is the most substantial concession the government has made since irregularities in the NEET-UG examination of May 3 came to light. Pradhan’s letter recorded that the government handed the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination and ordered a re-test, which was held on June 21, with results declared on July 16. He said the examination would move to computer-based testing from next year.
He also said certain individuals in positions of responsibility had tried to mislead students during the crisis, without naming anyone, and that the events of the previous 10 days had saddened him. The Prime Minister had not commented publicly at the time of writing.
Cheers at Jantar Mantar
News of the resignation set off celebrations at the protest site. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced it from the dais, waved the tricolour and led the crowd in Vande Mataram before addressing the gathering.
“Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned, and this is the proof that if you don’t get scared, you can win,” Dipke said, according to The Hindu. “You should not be scared to speak in a democracy. Only if you raise your voice, they will stay in line because they are sitting in power because of us,” he added.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had joined the agitation, called the outcome a vindication of street mobilisation. In a post on X he described it as “a victory of democracy, direct democracy… straight from the streets” and “a victory of peace, patience and perseverance”, congratulating the CJP and Gen Z protesters.
Stone-pelting broke out at Jantar Mantar shortly after the announcement, PTI reported, with security personnel using tear gas and a mild lathicharge to disperse a section of the crowd. Two police personnel were injured.
The CJP later withdrew its strike at a joint press conference with Union Minister J.P. Nadda and Minister of State Jitendra Singh, after the government agreed to withdraw FIRs filed against protesters across the country and to pay compensation to the families of students who died during the crisis.
