Under pressure from CJP protests, Dharmendra Pradhan quits as Education Minister

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post on Saturday over the NEET paper leak row, saying the decision was “not a matter of individual prestige” for him.

Pradhan announced his resignation in a lengthy social media post on X addressed to the “country’s youth,” hours before a fresh round of talks between the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the Centre. Ahead of those talks, CJP leaders had said Pradhan’s resignation was “non-negotiable.”

Pradhan said he was “disturbed” by the series of events that had unfolded over the last 10 days and sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He underlined that developments of the past 10 days had left him “deeply saddened,” a reference to the violence on July 20 during students’ march to Parliament, when police baton-charged and fired tear gas at protesters.

pic.twitter.com/VSArqS98OJ

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 25, 2026

“I took responsibility of NEET paper leak from day one,” he said, adding that anti-national forces should not be allowed to take advantage of the situation at Jantar Mantar and across the country.

His resignation was the core demand of protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where the CJP has been leading demonstrations demanding accountability over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and irregularities in the CBSE’s on-screen marking process, besides seeking wider reforms in the conduct of public examinations.

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Addressing a gathering at Jantar Mantar, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said, “If there is no Hindu Muslim politics, if there is only issue based politics, then big thrones will be shaken. When we rise above Hindu and Muslim politics and talk about issues, then it will be good for the country.”

Reacting to Pradhan’s resignation, Dipke said it was “proof that if you don’t get scared, you can win.” He added that the CJP still had two more demands to press: “We have two more demands, we will not go like that. We are cockroaches, once it enters it does not leave.”

Following Pradhan’s exit, the CJP updated its list of demands — ticking off Pradhan’s resignation as met, while marking as pending its demands for Rs 1 crore in compensation for students who died by suicide and a commitment that no action be taken against protesters.

Sonam Wangchuk ends 26-day fast after government assurance, CJP continues protest

Dipke also took a swipe at Chief Justice of India BR Gavai for a remark that had described the protesters as “cockroaches,” saying, “I thank CJI Kant for calling us cockroaches. Had you not called us cockroaches, Pradhan would not have resigned.”

The Gen-Z-led CJP protests have emerged as the biggest youth challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he came to power in 2014, with the demands also echoed by opposition parties that disrupted Parliament’s ongoing monsoon session. Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Delhi even as authorities kept the city’s 18 metro stations shut for a fourth straight day and extended a mobile internet shutdown in the protest area.

Talks between CJP representatives and federal ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh had continued through the week, with the protesters warning the agitation could spread further unless Pradhan quit. Those discussions took place shortly after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike over the issue.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also backed the protesters after meeting injured students at his residence, calling their demand for Pradhan’s removal non-negotiable and rejecting talk of the minister simply being shifted to another portfolio. “Students are India’s future, Modi is past,” Gandhi said.

(With inputs from agencies)