Pradhan cites attempts to mislead Gen Z during NEET protests as reason for resignation

Former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan broke his silence on Saturday, August 8, 2026, regarding his resignation two weeks earlier, stating that attempts were made to mislead the younger generation during widespread protests over the NEET paper leak controversy. Speaking at an event at GM University in Bhubaneswar, the senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MP said he had personally approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers.

Pradhan resigned from his ministerial post on July 25, 2026, amid intense student-led protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The demonstrations were organized by the Cockroach Janta Party and focused on the alleged leak of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate paper and broader irregularities in the education system. In his first public comments on the matter, Pradhan framed his departure as a response to the situation involving the youth. "Gen Z is our children. Some people attempted to mislead them. I had no personal issues then," he said. He emphasized the demographic importance of the younger generation, noting that approximately two crore children are born in India...