New Delhi, July 25: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bowing to weeks of intense public outcry and sustained demonstrations over alleged competitive examination paper leaks. The cabinet minister announced his decision via a public statement, bringing a sudden end to his tenure amid ongoing deadlocked negotiations between central authorities and protesting youth organizations.
The official departure comes as student groups, spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party, maintained an unyielding stance at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, refusing to participate in further policy discussions without ministerial accountability.
“I have sent my resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Pradhan stated in an official post, acknowledging the mounting pressure surrounding the administration’s handling of the national testing apparatus.
The controversy centered on systemic flaws and security breaches during the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), which triggered nationwide demonstrations, parliamentary adjournments, and demands for comprehensive systemic reform. Opposition leaders and student activists had identified the minister’s removal as a non-negotiable prerequisite to resolving the administrative crisis.
With the leadership vacancy now created, central officials are expected to re-engage with student representatives to discuss structural overhauls to the National Testing Agency and establish safeguards for future competitive evaluations.
