In a major climbdown by the Modi government, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday tendered his resignation, bowing to the central demand of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and student protesters. Students have been on the streets for the last several days at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and elsewhere over irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
CJP spokespersons described the resignation as a “first and necessary step” but stopped short of calling off the agitation. In statements issued shortly after Pradhan’s post on X, party representatives said the demand for the minister’s exit had been met. Yet, other items on their list, including compensation for candidates affected by the cancelled May examination, a public timeline for CBI action against those already arrested, and structural changes to the National Testing Agency, remained unresolved. They indicated that the sit-in at Jantar Mantar would continue at least until the scheduled talks with the Centre later today, and that any decision to scale back the protest would be taken only after those discussions.
Pradhan announced the decision in a detailed statement addressed to the country’s youth and shared on X. He wrote that he had submitted his resignation letter to the Prime Minister. “From the very first day, I accepted responsibility and never turned away from this challenging situation,” he said. He emphasised that the move was not about personal prestige.
In the statement, Pradhan recalled the sequence of events. Irregularities were detected in the NEET-UG exam held on May 3, 2026. The government responded by handing the investigation to the CBI, cancelling the examination, and conducting a re-test on June 21 with what he described as a whole-of-government approach involving the Centre, states and district administrations. More than 20 lakh students appeared, and results were declared on July 16. He noted that the government had also decided to shift NEET to computer-based testing mode from next year.
Pradhan linked his decision to the recent protests. “The events of the past 10 days have saddened me,” he said. He cited concerns that the situation at Jantar Mantar and across the country should not be exploited by “anti-national forces,” that national unity must be preserved, and that no student’s future should become entangled in legal complications. Pradhan said the resignation was intended to allow students to focus on their studies and careers. He thanked the Prime Minister, Cabinet colleagues and officials, and affirmed that he would continue working for the welfare of youth and the nation.
The resignation comes after more than a month of protests led by the CJP, a youth-oriented group that began demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in early June. Protesters have consistently demanded Pradhan’s exit over the paper leak that forced the cancellation of the original May exam, the subsequent re-test, reported student distress including suicides, and broader concerns about the examination system. Opposition parties, including Congress, had also pressed for his resignation. CJP leaders had made the minister’s removal a non-negotiable condition in talks with the Centre, which included meetings with senior BJP figures such as J P Nadda.
The announcement was made hours ahead of a further round of discussions between CJP representatives and the government. Meanwhile, security arrangements around the protest site stayed elevated through the afternoon. Delhi Police maintained barriers and restricted access routes while allowing limited movement for medical and legal volunteers, following earlier complaints that supplies were being blocked. Protesters who had regrouped after the July 20 march toward Parliament remained on site; no large-scale dispersal or fresh confrontation was reported in the immediate hours following the announcement.
Opposition parties that had backed the agitation, including Congress and the Samajwadi Party, welcomed the resignation. Several leaders who had been detained briefly near the prime minister’s residence on July 21 issued statements saying the step vindicated the students’ sustained pressure. They reiterated calls for a fuller inquiry into the examination process and for accountability beyond the minister’s exit.
Government sources confirmed that the resignation letter had been received by the Prime Minister’s Office. Officials reiterated the sequence already outlined by Pradhan: the original May 3 paper had been cancelled after irregularities were established, the CBI investigation was under way, the re-test on June 21 had been conducted under multi-level administrative oversight, results were declared on July 16, and the decision to shift NEET to computer-based mode from the next cycle stood. Sonam Wangchuk, who had begun an indefinite hunger strike on June 28 and was later shifted to hospital, had not issued an immediate public comment by late afternoon.
The CBI probe into the paper leak continued to focus on coaching networks and examination-related personnel in locations including Latur and Godhra. No new charges or arrests were announced in connection with the resignation itself. The Supreme Court, which had earlier taken note of the impact on candidates, had no fresh listing on the matter scheduled for the day.
