Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, July 25

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, citing the need to safeguard students’ interests following weeks of protests over alleged irregularities in a nationwide medical entrance examination.

Pradhan announced his departure on the social media platform X, sharing his resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The resignation meets a primary demand of students who have been camped in protest at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

In his letter, Pradhan stated the decision was made to ensure the ongoing controversy did not jeopardize the careers of over 2 million students or allow “anti-national forces” to exploit the unrest.

“Our children should spend their time in studies and focus on building their careers,” Pradhan wrote. “Keeping this in mind, I have sent my resignation to the Hon’ble Prime Minister.”

The crisis centers on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) held on May 3.

After allegations of widespread irregularities surfaced, the federal government cancelled the test, handed the investigation over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and announced that the exam would transition to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format starting in 2027.

Pradhan defended his handling of the fallout, noting that the government’s immediate priority was successfully conducting a rescheduled exam, which took place on June 21 with the cooperation of state governments and district administrations.

The outgoing minister stated he had accepted responsibility for the crisis from the beginning and that the revised results, declared on July 16, were satisfactory and protected the prospects of meritorious candidates from poor backgrounds.

Expressing anguish over the events of the past 10 days, Pradhan emphasised that stepping down was not a matter of personal prestige.

“I will not let the youth of the country get trapped in the vicious cycle of confusion – that is my resolve,” he said.

Pradhan concluded his letter by thanking his cabinet colleagues and ministry staff, adding, “Serving the nation is my highest priority in life. I will always remain dedicated to it.”