Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns Amid NEET Paper Leak Protests

New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday following weeks of protests led by students over the leak of the NEET-UG examination paper. The resignation marks a significant concession by the government in the face of sustained agitation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted the resignation. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who holds several portfolios, has been given additional charge of the education ministry. Pradhan, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Odisha, had been education minister since 2021.

The protests, centered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, were organized by the group 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP) and supported by opposition parties. Demonstrators demanded Pradhan's removal, citing concerns over the integrity of the medical entrance exam. The government had earlier cancelled the NEET-UG results and ordered a re-test, but protests continued.

After three rounds of talks with Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, CJP leaders announced the withdrawal of their agitation. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das stated that the government has agreed to provide compensation to families of students who died by suicide and to withdraw First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against protesting students in Delhi and other BJP-governed states. Further discussions on broader exam reforms are scheduled in four weeks.

In a two-page statement, Pradhan said he resigned so that 'anti-national forces do not take advantage of the situation.' He addressed his statement to 'my young friends,' acknowledging the role of young protesters. Pradhan previously faced a similar protest in 1996 when he led a student demonstration against a question paper leak in Odisha as a national secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

The BJP, known for its reluctance to yield to public pressure, made a rare concession. A senior minister said the decision was taken to avoid any potential violence. 'We had to swallow the bitter pill because there was a real risk of violence breaking out. Any loss of lives would have been blamed on us,' the minister said. The move echoes the government's 2021 decision to withdraw farm laws after prolonged farmer protests.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have claimed credit for the resignation, though the government has not acknowledged their role. Rahul Gandhi recently staged a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence, but the BJP appears focused on engaging directly with the student group rather than giving political mileage to rivals.

Pradhan, who also oversaw the popular Ujjwala scheme as petroleum minister, has support within the party. Several senior ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, visited him after the resignation. The BJP described the decision as a matter of national interest, emphasizing that the government's priority is to ensure the safety and trust of students.