Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday amid widespread student protests led by the satirical political outfit Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and various other places across the country. He also criticized “the forces that obstruct the reform of the education system.”
In his resignation letter published on X, Pradhan explained his decision to step down from the Narendra Modi government. Follow live updates here.
“…To ensure that anti-national elements do not take advantage of the situation in Jantar Mantar and across the country, that the nation remains united, and that students in India do not get bogged down in legal complexities and focus on their studies and careers, I have tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister…”, the letter said.
Dharmendra Pradhan bats
Dharmendra Pradhan said he bears moral responsibility for the developments surrounding the medical entrance exam while defending the government’s handling of the crisis.
“From day one, I accepted responsibility and never backed down from this situation,” Pradhan wrote. He said that as soon as irregularities were discovered in the NEET-UG exam conducted on May 3, 2026, the Narendra Modi government immediately transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), canceled the exam, announced and conducted a new exam. The re-examination conducted on June 21 was successfully conducted through a “whole-of-government approach”, involving the Centre, state governments and district administrations, the former minister said.
He added: “But, even during this period, people in responsible positions tried to create obstacles by misleading the students, which caused me severe suffering.” Pradhan did not identify any individuals or organisations, although he attacked opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in the past few days.
Pradhan said that the events of the past ten days saddened him, but stressed that the issue was “not a matter of personal prestige.” Instead, he said his decision came out of the need to protect students and preserve national unity.
Celebrations at Jantar Mantar
Celebrations erupted at Jantar Mantar when news of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation reached the protest site on Saturday, and CJP chief Abhijit Debaki looked visibly relieved.
Debke, who led the protest demanding Pradhan’s resignation and broader education reforms in the wake of the alleged paper leaks, received a phone call about the resignation.
“We have done it. Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned,” Debki told the crowd.
He later said: “This is a big win. It shows that the country is run under the Constitution. This is just the beginning.”
Huge celebrations were seen at the protest site. The CJP leadership congratulated the protesters, while spokesperson Sourav Das said they would remain at the protest site until they receive written confirmation.
Police officials at the outer barricades of the protest site looked completely at ease. The recording of names and people’s social media accounts at the entrance stopped, and inspections were reduced.
