Dharmendra Pradhan’s Resignation: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, 84 days after the NEET-UG 2026 exam triggered one of India’s biggest education rows in recent years. His resignation came after weeks of student sit ins and nationwide protests, a CBI probe into the alleged paper leak, parliamentary disruptions and also increasing political pressure on how the government handled a full blown education crisis.
How Did The NEET-UG 2026 Crisis Begin?
This entire controversy started with claims that the NEET-UG question paper may have been leaked before the May 3 examination, but it didn’t stay there. It then turned into a wider argument about examination integrity, student welfare, and accountability across India’s education system. During those 84 days, the government first cancelled the exam, ordered a fresh test, handed the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and later said that NEET will move to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) style from next year.
Around 22 lakh candidates appeared for NEET-UG on May 3, 2026. Not long after the examination ended, accusations came up that the question paper had been circulated before the test. Some reports even said the supposed leaked paper was being sold through messaging platforms, and that’s what led to major anger among students and parents.
Students’ Peaceful Protests
As the investigation continued, demonstrations spread across several cities. Students demanded accountability, stronger safeguards for competitive examinations and action against those responsible for the alleged leak. During a Supreme Court hearing on May 15, a remark by Chief Justice Surya Kant triggered a controversy among protesters and students demanding accountability.
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During this period, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led organisation formed amid the controversy, emerged as a prominent face of the protest movement. After returning from the United States, Abhijit Dipke held the first major CJP protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on June 6, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Its demonstrations, particularly at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, drew participation from students, activists and several public figures, while opposition parties also intensified their criticism of the government.
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Sonam Wangchuk Joins Protest
The movement gained further momentum on June 28, when climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in support of students’ demands.
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However, Wangchuk was later removed by police on July 18 and shifted to Safdarjung Hospital citing health concerns and High Court orders. The police action led to further criticism and protests.
Parliament And Public Pressure
Parliament saw repeated disruptions, as opposition MPs kept pushing for talks about the alleged irregularities and they also wanted Dharmendra Pradhan to step down. At the same time, the whole episode stayed under investigation with the CBI and the legal part connected to the controversy also kept running.
In the middle of all this, Pradhan publicly said the examination lapses were serious, and he accepted moral responsibility, while also telling students that corrective steps would be put in place.
Dharmendra Pradhan’s Resignation
On July 25, Dharmendra Pradhan handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said he was resigning in the interest of students, so that the focus would stay on rebuilding trust in India’s education system.
In the resignation letter, Pradhan mentioned that the government had moved fast, cancelling the exam, shifting the probe to the CBI, and arranging a re test for more than 20 lakh candidates. He also restated the plan to bring in Computer Based Testing for NEET from the next academic cycle.
What Happens Next?
After Pradhan’s resignation, people are now expecting that focus will gradually drift to the selection of a fresh Education Minister, the closing of the CBI probe and the roll out of the examination reforms that were announced by the Centre.
The government has already hinted that NEET will move towards a Computer Based Test format from the next academic session, though the probe into the alleged leak and the connected networks is still underway.
