Dharmendra Pradhan resigns, says decision taken to protect students' future amid NEET row

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned from the Union Cabinet, saying his decision was guided by the need to protect students' interests and prevent the ongoing controversy surrounding NEET from affecting their future.

In a two-page letter addressed to the country's youth, Pradhan said he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the developments of the past few days, stressing that the issue should not become a prolonged legal or political battle that harms students.

"For me, this is not a matter of personal prestige," Pradhan wrote. "India's youth are the country's real strength. I will not allow them to become trapped in a web of भ्रम (confusion) and allegations."

Recalls NEET controversy 

In the letter, Pradhan defended the Centre's handling of the 2026 NEET-UG controversy. He said irregularities were detected in the examination held on May 3, 2026, following which the government immediately handed over the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination and announced a re-test.

He also noted that the government decided to shift NEET to a computer-based test (CBT) format from next year. 

According to Pradhan, the Centre adopted a "whole-of-government approach" involving state governments, district administrations, students and parents to ensure the re-examination for over 20 lakh candidates was conducted smoothly on June 21. 

He said the results, declared on July 16, reflected the success of students from economically weaker backgrounds as well. 

'Took responsibility from day one' 

Pradhan said he had accepted responsibility for the crisis from the very beginning and remained committed to ensuring that no deserving student suffered because of what he described as an "exam mafia." 

"My resolve was that no meritorious student's future should be ruined because of the examination mafia and no student should face injustice," he wrote. 

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However, he added that recent events had deeply saddened him, alleging that "people occupying responsible positions" attempted to mislead students and create obstacles even after the examination process had concluded. 

Appeals for calm 

Pradhan urged students to stay focused on their education and careers instead of getting caught in political and legal disputes. 

Referring to protests, including those at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, he said anti-national forces should not be allowed to exploit the situation and appealed for national unity. 

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"I do not want even one student's future to become entangled in legal complexities. Our children should devote their time to studies and building their careers," he wrote. 

Thanks PM Modi, vows to continue public service 

Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan thanked him for the opportunity to serve the nation under his leadership. He also acknowledged the support of his Cabinet colleagues, ministry officials and government employees during his tenure. 

Calling public service the "highest priority" of his life, Pradhan said he would continue working for the aspirations of India's youth, the people of Odisha and the country in whatever capacity possible. 

The resignation comes after days of political controversy over the handling of the NEET examination and growing demands from the Opposition for ministerial accountability.

PM Modi pitches strongest action against paper leak

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 20 addressed the NEET paper leak controversy at the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, calling the incident a "ghor paap" (grave sin). He assured that strict action has been taken against those responsible. He further said the government moved swiftly after the leak came to light, with 13 accused currently in custody.

PM Modi stressed that the strongest possible action should be taken against those responsible and urged state governments to work together to ensure that such paper leaks do not occur in the future.

The late-night direct message to students delivered via a selfie video sparked a massive surge on social media for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earning him approximately 1 million new Instagram followers overnight amid ongoing fallout over the NEET paper leak.

NTA sacks 47 officials

The Centre has begun a major overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA), terminating the services of 47 officials as part of a sweeping reform exercise aimed at strengthening the integrity of India's examination system following a series of paper leak controversies.

Sources, as reported by India Today, said the dismissals mark the first phase of a broader restructuring of the NTA, with additional reforms expected over the next month. Legal and criminal proceedings are also likely to be initiated against some officials, although details of their roles have not been disclosed.

The revamp comes amid heightened scrutiny of the testing agency following allegations of irregularities in several competitive examinations, particularly the NEET-UG paper leak, which triggered nationwide protests and renewed calls for accountability in the conduct of public examinations.

New Anti-Paper Leak Bill (2026)

The Centre is set to strengthen India's anti-paper leak law with stricter punishments, including a proposed maximum prison term of 10 years and fines of up to ₹10 crore. The move comes amid growing concerns over recurring examination paper leaks, particularly after the NEET and UGC-NET controversies, and aims to reinforce the integrity of competitive examinations.

The proposed amendments build on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, India's first dedicated central law to tackle organised examination fraud. On July 23, the Centre has designated a special fast-track court at Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court to expedite the trial of examination paper leak cases under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

Most prominent high-profile leaks in recent years 

The recent major examination paper leaks in India have caused massive political uproars, student protests, and forced sweeping government crackdowns. 

2026 NEET-UG Medical Entrance Exam Leak: Affected over 2.27 million medical aspirants across India. Held on May 3, 2026, the examination was completely cancelled on May 12 after central agencies found massive irregularities. Investigative bodies (CBI and state police) found that a pre-circulated "guess paper" shared on Telegram and WhatsApp contained over 410 questions matching the real paper exactly in both options and sequence. Key insiders were implicated, including an NTA panel professor responsible for regional translations who leaked the question sheets for money. A re-examination had to be conducted under heavily tightened security on June 21. 

2026 Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) Leak: Left thousands of teacher aspirants in limbo right before the scheduled exam date. The examination, scheduled for June 28, 2026, was indefinitely postponed just 24 hours prior. A SIT revealed that a mastermind named Bijendra Gupta bribed workers at an Agra-based secure printing press with cash and promises of plots of land. The workers exploited security loopholes to smuggle out all four sets of the question papers before they were packaged for delivery.  

2024-2025 Mass Recruitment Leaks 

• UP Police Constable Exam: Over 4.8 million candidates were affected when this recruitment test was compromised and subsequently cancelled, triggering severe legal crackdowns.  
• UKSSSC Graduate Recruitment (Uttarakhand): This massive state-level graduate employment exam was hit by a major leak, leading to multiple arrests, asset attachments, and the state enacting an anti-copying law.  
• UGC-NET (2024): This national eligibility test for university professors faced severe security compromises that directly fueled the political push for the newly overhauled Public Examinations Amendment Bill.