'Respect aspirations of country's youth': Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation letter

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday (July 25), bringing an end to weeks of intense student protests in Delhi that had demanded his resignation over irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance examination. Announcing his decision on X, Pradhan reflected on his four-decade commitment to education, saying he has always believed a strong and inclusive education system forms the foundation of a strong nation. He thanked the Prime Minister for the opportunity to serve under his leadership.

In a post on X, he said," My young friends, I have been dedicated to students, teachers, and education reform for over four decades. I have always believed that a strong, inclusive, and visionary education system is the foundation of a strong nation. I deeply respect the aspirations, sentiments, and justifiable expectations of the country's youth. Realising the dreams of India's young generation has been the moral commitment of all of us in political and social life. I express my gratitude to the Prime Minister for the opportunity I have had to serve the nation under his visionary leadership."

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Dharmendra Pradhan acknowledged irregularities

Dharmendra Pradhan acknowledged that irregularities in the May 3, 2026 NEET-UG exam prompted the government to hand the investigation to the CBI, cancel the test, and reschedule it, with future exams to be conducted in Computer-Based Test mode starting next year. He said ensuring a smooth exam process for over 2 million students became the top priority, involving coordination between the central government, state governments, and district administrations, resulting in the exam being successfully held on June 21.

"However, irregularities were discovered in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026. The Government of India immediately took cognisance of this, entrusted the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination, and rescheduled the examination. It was also decided to conduct the examination in CBT (Computer-Based Test) mode from next year. During this period, our primary priority was to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination for over 2 million students. A whole-of-government approach was implemented for this purpose. The Government of India, along with the State Government, and especially the District Administration, played a crucial role. Furthermore, with the cooperation of students, guardians, and parents, the examination was completed on June 21, 2026," he added.

The minister maintained he took responsibility from day one, vowing not to let an "examination mafia" jeopardise meritorious students' futures. He noted the July 16 results were largely positive, with many underprivileged students succeeding, but expressed distress that some in positions of responsibility had tried to mislead students during the process.