Bhubaneswar: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday tendered his resignation amid protests over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak controversy, saying he stepped down to ensure that students’ futures were not affected and the situation at Jantar Mantar was not exploited by “anti-national forces”.
In his resignation letter, Pradhan said he had always remained committed to students, teachers and education reforms, while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance and support.
He said that as soon as the irregularities regarding the NEET-UG examination came to light, the government, taking immediate cognisance of the matter, handed the investigation over to the CBI, cancelled the exam, and announced a date for a re-examination. Additionally, he said that a decision was made to conduct this exam in CBT (Computer-Based Test) mode starting next year.
“Throughout this period, our primary priority was to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination for over 20 lakh students. We worked towards this using a ‘whole-of-government’ approach, in which state governments — and particularly district administrations — played a crucial role alongside the Government of India. With the cooperation of students and parents, the examination was successfully concluded on June 21, 2026,” Pradhan said.
“From day one, I took responsibility for the situation and never turned away from it. I was determined not to let the potential of any meritorious student be ruined by the ‘exam mafia’ and to ensure that no student faced injustice,” he added.
He said that during the re-examination results, “individuals holding responsible positions attempted to create obstacles and mislead students”, an act, he said, caused him “deep distress”.
“I have always held unwavering faith in the strength of our democracy and deeply respected the aspirations, dreams, and expectations of the youth. They are not merely India’s future; they are the torchbearers, builders, and architects of a new and developed India. I am pained by the events of the past ten days. This is not a matter of personal prestige for me,” he added.
“Considering the situation at Jantar Mantar and across the country — to prevent anti-national forces from exploiting it, preserving national unity, ensuring that not a single Indian student’s future gets entangled in legal complexities, and allowing our children to devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers — I have submitted my resignation to the Honourable Prime Minister,” Pradhan said.