Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Cabinet on Saturday following weeks of nationwide student protests over the NEET-UG controversy. His resignation came ahead of the third round of discussions between the Centre and representatives of the protesting student movement, marking a significant political development.
Pradhan announced his decision through a post on X, stating that he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his message, he said the interests of students and the country should remain the top priority and thanked the Prime Minister for giving him the opportunity to serve as the Union Education Minister.
Student protests had continued for over a month, with demonstrators demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. Protesters also called for action to protect students’ interests and sought reforms in the examination system. According to reports, the minister’s resignation had become one of the key demands raised during the protests.
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In his resignation letter, Pradhan said his decision was guided by the need to ensure that students’ academic futures were not affected by prolonged unrest. He stated that the country’s youth should remain focused on education and career-building while emphasising the importance of maintaining national unity during the ongoing situation.
He also reiterated that he had taken responsibility for addressing the examination controversy and thanked officials, colleagues and the Ministry of Education for their support during his tenure.
Following the announcement, celebrations were reported at the protest site in New Delhi, with demonstrators describing the resignation as a major victory for the student movement. However, protest organisers indicated that discussions with the government would continue on their remaining demands related to examination reforms and student welfare.
The resignation marks one of the most significant political developments arising from the NEET-UG controversy and is expected to have a wider impact on discussions around examination reforms, transparency and accountability in India’s education system.