Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, July 25, 2026, taking moral responsibility for the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy that triggered weeks of nationwide student protests. Pradhan submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announced the decision in a detailed post on social media platform X, saying the developments around the NEET-UG examination had caused him “deep anguish.”
How the NEET-UG Paper Leak Crisis Unfolded
The crisis traces back to irregularities detected in the NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3, 2026, which was attempted by nearly 22.79 lakh candidates for admission to undergraduate medical and dental courses across India. Reports emerged that a ‘guess paper’ closely matching the actual Physics, Chemistry and Biology questions had circulated among students weeks before the test.
The National Testing Agency cancelled the compromised exam on May 12, and the government handed the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The CBI conducted searches across multiple states and arrested several accused, including a Latur-based doctor, a Pune-based physics faculty member, and a chemistry lecturer identified as a key figure in the leak network. A re-examination was successfully held on June 21 in Computer-Based Test mode, with results declared on July 16.
President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation, and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi has been given additional charge of the Education Ministry. Pradhan said his exit was not about personal prestige but about protecting the future of students and preventing anti-national elements from exploiting the youth-led agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Government’s Response and Tougher Anti-Paper-Leak Law
A day before Pradhan’s resignation, the Union Cabinet approved a draft bill proposing tougher penalties for examination paper leaks, including up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to Rs 10 crore for organised leak rackets. The proposed law also includes provisions for special fast-track courts and a dedicated task force to curb examination fraud nationwide.
PM Modi had earlier assured strict action against the culprits through a video message, appealing to protesting students to remain peaceful while the government worked on structural reforms. The resignation comes as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which led the Jantar Mantar protests for over a month, called off its agitation following talks with Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray led a joint ‘United March’ in Mumbai on July 26 from Shivaji Park to Siddhivinayak Temple in solidarity with the students.