New Delhi, July 25: Following weeks of relentless nationwide protests and a gruelling 26-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The move came as a response to growing unrest over examination irregularities and paper leak allegations, particularly surrounding the NEET-UG exams.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who spearheaded the hunger strike alongside the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and student groups, marked the development as a major milestone for direct civic action in India.
Reacting to the news on X, Sonam Wangchuk commended the resilience of the nation’s youth and citizens.
“IT’S A VICTORY OF DEMOCRACY. direct democracy… straight from the streets. It’s a victory of peace, patience & perseverance. Congratulations CJP, Gen Z of the nation and thank you all citizens for shedding fear and the fear of fear and rising up from every corner of the nation. FROM ACCOUNTABILITY, NOW TO REFORMS,” posted Wangchuk.
Wangchuk emphasised that while holding the government accountable was necessary, the ultimate goal must now pivot toward systemic reforms within India’s education structure.
His remarks came after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, stating that he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the situation arising from protests over examination irregularities was not exploited by “anti-national forces.”
Welcoming the minister’s resignation, the CJP said it would nevertheless continue its agitation at Jantar Mantar until all of its demands were fulfilled.
Addressing supporters, CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke said, “Kaha jaata tha iss sarkar main istife nahi hote. Jhukti hai duniya, jhukaane vaala chahiye. We have done it,” describing the resignation as the first by a Union Minister under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Visuals from the protest site showed demonstrators cheering and celebrating after news of Pradhan’s resignation emerged.
Dipke said the movement would continue until the remaining demands were addressed, including compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of students who died by suicide over examination-related issues and action against Delhi Police personnel accused of carrying out a lathi charge on protesters.
In a post on X, the CJP marked Pradhan’s resignation as achieved but listed two demands as pending: compensation for affected families and assurance that no action would be taken against student protesters.
In his resignation letter shared on X, Pradhan said he had decided in the larger interest of students and the nation.
“The situation that has emerged at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere in the country should not be exploited by anti-national forces. The unity of the country must remain intact. The future of every student in India should not get entangled in legal complications,” he wrote.
Pradhan said he had always believed in the aspirations and strength of India’s youth and that the developments of the past few days had deeply saddened him
Defending the government’s handling of the NEET-UG controversy, Pradhan said irregularities detected in the May 3, 2026 examination prompted the Centre to immediately hand over the investigation to the CBI, cancel the examination and announce a re-test.
He said the re-examination for over two million candidates was successfully conducted on June 21 with the support of state governments, district administrations, students, parents and guardians. He also announced that the NEET-UG examination would be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode from next year to strengthen transparency.
Meanwhile, the Centre is preparing to introduce a stringent anti-paper leak law that will provide for Special Fast-Track Courts, a Special Task Force (STF), and other measures aimed at preventing examination malpractices across the country. (ANI)
