Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Has Tendered Resignation. Reportedly, Union Education Minister Says He Has Sent Resignation to PM Amid ...
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Has Tendered Resignation. Reportedly, Union Education Minister Says He Has Sent Resignation to PM Amid Jantar Mantar Protests
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Full Text: Dharmendra Pradhan's Resignation Letter Explains Decision to Step Down as Education Minister
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in his resignation letter addressed to the nation's youth, laid out in detail the reasoning behind his decision to step down amid weeks of protests over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
Opening the letter with My young friends, Pradhan wrote that he has spent more than four decades dedicated to students, teachers and education reform, and that he has always believed a strong, inclusive and forward-looking education system forms the foundation of a strong nation. He said he holds deep respect for the aspirations, emotions and legitimate expectations of the country's youth, calling the fulfilment of their dreams a moral commitment running through India's political and social life. He thanked the Prime Minister for the opportunity to serve the nation under his leadership.
Addressing the controversy directly, Pradhan wrote that irregularities came to light in the NEET-UG examination held on 3 May 2026. He said the government took immediate cognisance of the issue, handed the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the exam, and announced a fresh date for a re-test. Alongside this, the government decided that from next year the exam would move to Computer-Based Test mode.
He said the priority throughout this period was ensuring that more than 20 lakh students could take the re-examination smoothly, describing the effort as a whole-of-government approach in which state governments, and particularly district administrations, played a significant role. With the cooperation of students and their parents, he noted, the re-examination was completed on 21 June 2026.
Pradhan wrote that he took responsibility from the very first day and never turned away from the situation, adding that his resolve was to ensure no meritorious student's chances were harmed by an exam mafia and that no student faced injustice. He said the NEET-UG results declared on 16 July were satisfactory, with several meritorious students from poor backgrounds also succeeding. However, he wrote that during this period, individuals in positions of responsibility attempted to mislead students and create obstacles, which left him deeply pained.
He said he has always held unwavering faith in the strength of India's democracy and deep respect for the aspirations, dreams and expectations of the youth, describing them not merely as the country's future but as the builders, creators and architects of a new, developed India. He wrote that the events of the past 10 days had troubled him personally, adding that the matter was never about his own prestige. India's youth power, he said, is the country's real strength, and his resolve is to ensure the nation's youth are not trapped in a cycle of confusion.
Explaining his final decision, Pradhan wrote that given the situation at Jantar Mantar and across the country, he chose to submit his resignation to the Prime Minister to ensure that anti-national forces do not benefit from the situation, that the country's unity is preserved, that no Indian student's future gets entangled in legal complications, and that children can devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers.
He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for his guidance, trust and continued support, and thanked his colleagues in the Council of Ministers along with ministry officials and staff he had the opportunity to work with. He wrote that serving the nation remains the highest priority of his life and one to which he will remain forever devoted.
Closing the letter, Pradhan wrote that with the blessings of Lord Jagannath, he would continue to dedicate himself in every possible way to Mother India, the people of Odisha, and the aspirations of the country's youth. He signed off, Yours, Dharmendra Pradhan.