Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns; details awaited

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers on Saturday, July 25 bowing to mounting nationwide student unrest and political pressure surrounding irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan stated that he was stepping down in the larger interest of students to ensure that the country’s youth do not remain trapped in a web of confusion or become susceptible to exploitation by external forces during ongoing agitations.

Elaborating on the circumstances surrounding his decision, the Sambalpur MP recalled that the Ministry of Education acted swiftly after discrepancies surfaced during the initial medical entrance test held on May 3. The Union government immediately handed over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation, cancelled the examination, and conducted a fresh re-test. Pradhan emphasized that throughout the process, the primary concern was safeguarding the prospects of over two million candidates and ensuring that no meritorious student suffered due to the controversy.

Highlighting the outcome of the re-examination declared on July 16, Pradhan noted that the results reflected the success of numerous deserving candidates, including those hailing from economically weaker backgrounds. However, expressing concern over the demonstrations held at Jantar Mantar and across the country, he observed that several individuals occupying responsible positions had sought to misguide students and create obstacles, which prompted his decision to step aside to prevent further politicisation of the issue.

As part of long-term structural reforms aimed at eliminating administrative security breaches, Pradhan confirmed that starting from the next academic session, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test will transition fully to a Computer-Based Test mode. Concurrently, the Union government is preparing to introduce comprehensive anti-paper leak legislation that envisages the creation of Special Fast Track Courts for expedited trial and a dedicated Special Task Force to strictly enforce measures against examination malpractices.