Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday announced his resignation, saying he was stepping down in the wake of the controversy over examination irregularities and nationwide protests demanding accountability over paper leaks.
In his resignation letter, Pradhan said he was “deeply pained by the events of the past ten days” and had decided to resign to ensure that the situation was not exploited and that students’ futures were protected.
He said the government had acted immediately after irregularities in the NEET-UG examination came to light by handing the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), cancelling the examination and announcing a fresh test. He also said the examination would be conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode from next year.
Pradhan said the priority during the process had been to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination for more than 20 lakh students.
“Throughout this period, our primary priority was to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination for over 20 lakh students. We worked towards this using a ‘whole-of-government’ approach, in which state governments — and particularly district administrations — played a crucial role alongside the Government of India. With the cooperation of students and parents, the examination was successfully concluded on June 21, 2026.”
The minister said he had accepted responsibility for the situation from the outset.
“From day one, I took responsibility for the situation and never turned away from it. I was determined not to let the potential of any meritorious student be ruined by the ‘exam mafia’ and to ensure that no student faced injustice.”
Pradhan also alleged that during the re-examination process, “individuals holding responsible positions attempted to create obstacles and mislead students,” describing the developments as a source of “deep distress.”
Explaining his decision to resign, he wrote:
“Considering the situation at Jantar Mantar and across the country — to prevent anti-national forces from exploiting it, preserving national unity, ensuring that not a single Indian student’s future gets entangled in legal complexities, and allowing our children to devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers — I have submitted my resignation to the Honourable Prime Minister.”
In the letter, Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opportunity to serve as Union Education Minister and expressed gratitude to the Council of Ministers for their support.
He concluded by saying that public service would remain his highest priority and that he would continue working for the aspirations of the country’s youth.
Leave a Reply