GenZ

New Delhi : India's Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post on Saturday amid ongoing nationwide protests by NEET-UG aspirants demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities. The resignation came as students continued their demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where protesters had been calling for Pradhan's resignation following the controversy surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 examination. In a statement posted on social media platform X, Pradhan said he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing that his decision was made in the interest of the country's students and national unity. https://twitter.com/dpradhanbjp/status/2080938216505667663?s20 "My young friends, I have been dedicated to students, teachers, and education reforms for more than four decades. I have always believed that a strong, inclusive, and visionary education system is the foundation of a strong nation," Pradhan wrote. "I deeply respect the aspirations, emotions, and legitimate expectations of the youth of our country. Serving the nation under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been an honor, and I express my gratitude to him." He added: Government Response to NEET-UG 2026 Addressing the controversy surrounding the May 3, 2026, NEET-UG examination, Pradhan acknowledged that irregularities had been detected during the examination process. "Irregularities were found in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026. The Government of India immediately took cognizance of the matter, handed over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), cancelled the examination, and announced fresh examination dates." He further stated that the government had decided to conduct the examination in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode from next year. According to Pradhan, the government's immediate priority was ensuring that the rescheduled examination for more than 2 million students was conducted smoothly. "Under a whole-of-government approach, the examination was successfully conducted on June 21, 2026, with the cooperation of the Central Government, state governments, district administrations, students, parents, and guardians." 'I Never Shied Away From Responsibility' Pradhan said he had accepted responsibility from the very beginning of the crisis. "From the very first day, I took responsibility for this issue and never turned away from this situation. My commitment was that no deserving student should suffer because of examination mafias and no student should face injustice." He noted that the NEET-UG 2026 results, declared on July 16, enabled many meritorious students from economically weaker backgrounds to secure success. However, he alleged that some individuals in positions of responsibility attempted to mislead students even after the results were announced. "Even during this period, attempts were made by people occupying responsible positions to mislead students, which deeply saddened me." 'This Is Not About My Personal Prestige' Pradhan said the developments over the past ten days had been personally painful but insisted that the matter was never about his individual position. "The events of the last ten days have deeply saddened me. This is not a matter of my personal prestige. India's youth are the nation's greatest strength." Explaining the reason behind his resignation, he wrote: "To ensure that anti-national forces do not exploit the situation developing at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere in the country, to preserve national unity, to prevent even a single student's future from becoming entangled in legal complications, and to allow our children to focus on their education and careers, I have submitted my resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi." Thanks to Prime Minister Modi and Colleagues Pradhan concluded his statement by expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Modi, members of the Union Cabinet, officials of the Education Ministry, and everyone with whom he had worked during his tenure. "I express my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for his guidance, trust, and constant support. I also thank my colleagues in the Council of Ministers, the officers and employees of the ministry, and everyone I had the privilege of working with. Service to the nation will always remain the highest priority of my life." He also said he would continue working for the people of Odisha, India's youth, and the nation. "With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, I will continue to dedicate myself to serving Mother India, the people of Odisha, and fulfilling the aspirations of the country's youth in every possible way." The resignation marks a significant political development as the government faces sustained public scrutiny over the handling of the NEET-UG examination controversy and growing student protests across the country.