Dharmendra Pradhan resigns, says decision aimed at preventing ‘anti-national forces’ from exploiting situation
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down on Saturday amid sustained nationwide protests over the NEET-UG controversy, saying his resignation was intended to protect students' interests and prevent "anti-national forces"
In a resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared publicly, Pradhan said he had dedicated more than four decades to education and youth development and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for the opportunity to serve in the Union Cabinet.
NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Council of Ministers on Saturday, saying he had taken the decision in the interest of students and to ensure that “anti-national forces” do not exploit the ongoing unrest linked to the NEET-UG examination controversy.
In a resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared publicly, Pradhan said he had dedicated more than four decades to education and youth development and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for the opportunity to serve in the Union Cabinet.
Explaining his decision, Pradhan wrote that the developments at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere in the country had deeply distressed him. He said his primary concern was to ensure that national unity remained intact, that students did not become entangled in prolonged legal disputes, and that they could focus on their education and careers. He added that his resignation was intended to prevent “anti-national forces” from taking advantage of the situation.
Pradhan also defended the Centre’s handling of the NEET-UG examination irregularities. He noted that after alleged irregularities surfaced in the May 3 examination, the government immediately handed the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination, announced a fresh test, and decided that future editions of the exam would be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.
The minister said he had taken responsibility for the crisis from the very beginning and remained committed to ensuring that deserving students were not disadvantaged by the alleged examination malpractice. He also alleged that misinformation had contributed to confusion among students and the public.
Pradhan’s resignation comes after weeks of nationwide student demonstrations demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities. The protests intensified in recent days, with sustained demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and growing political pressure on the government.
Despite stepping down from the Cabinet, Pradhan reaffirmed his commitment to public service, saying that serving the nation would remain the highest priority of his life and that he would continue working for the aspirations of India’s youth and the development of the country.
