Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Council of Ministers on Saturday, days after nationwide student protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy intensified at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Pradhan submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that his decision was driven by the need to protect the future of students rather than any question of personal prestige.
The resignation came ahead of a scheduled third round of talks between government representatives and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the group leading the protest movement at Jantar Mantar. Pradhan’s exit had been the central demand of the demonstrators since the agitation began following irregularities detected in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026.
Background: The NEET Paper Leak Crisis
The NEET-UG 2026 examination, conducted on May 3 for admission to undergraduate medical courses across India, was cancelled after irregularities surfaced during the process. The government referred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation and announced that the examination would be held again, with future editions to be conducted in Computer-Based Test mode from next year.
The controversy triggered sustained protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party, a student-backed group that organised an indefinite demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Activist Sonam Wangchuk also joined the movement with a hunger strike before ending it after assurances from the Centre. The protests continued for several days, with demonstrators demanding Pradhan’s resignation and a public apology over alleged police action against students.
Government’s Reforms and Resignation Details
In his resignation letter, Pradhan said the Centre had acted promptly after the irregularities were detected, adding that he did not want the country’s youth to remain “trapped in a web of confusion.” He also expressed concern that the ongoing protests at Jantar Mantar could be exploited by “anti-national forces” and said this consideration weighed on his decision.
Government sources told news agencies that Pradhan resigned taking moral responsibility on his own accord and was not asked to step down. Following his resignation, the Centre also transferred the Education Secretary, marking the first such administrative action since the paper leak controversy began in May. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi was given additional charge of the Education Ministry hours after Pradhan’s exit.
Alongside the resignation, the Centre has moved to overhaul the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET, JEE and other major entrance examinations. According to government sources, the NTA has terminated the services of 47 officials as part of a broader institutional restructuring, with legal and criminal action expected against some of them. A high-level expert committee, headed by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan, has also been constituted to review the agency’s data security systems and examination protocols.
Political Significance
Pradhan’s resignation marks one of the rare instances in which a senior minister in the Modi government has stepped down amid sustained street protests and opposition pressure. The NEET-UG controversy had earlier prompted the Cabinet to approve a draft Bill proposing tougher punishment, including fast-track courts, for cases involving examination paper leaks.
Following the resignation, the CJP delegation, represented by spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, continued talks with Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi to discuss remaining demands, including compensation and protection for affected students. Security around Jantar Mantar remained tight, with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation keeping several central Delhi metro stations closed as a precaution.
The Education Ministry has also opened recruitment for key positions within the NTA, including four General Managers on three-year contracts to oversee information security, vigilance, examination-centre operations and psychometric research. Officials said the broader goal is to restore public confidence in India’s examination system, which serves millions of candidates annually through tests such as NEET, JEE and CUET. The government has indicated that the restructuring exercise is expected to be completed within the coming month.