'Hope It Will Defuse The Situation': Chidambaram Welcomes Dharmendra Pradhan's Resignation As Education Minister Amid NEET-UG Row

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, expressing hope that the development would pave the way for constructive discussions both in Parliament and in the public domain.

Reacting to the news of the Education Minister stepping down amid ongoing student protests and parliamentary deadlock over exam irregularities, Chidambaram stated that he hopes the decision will de-escalate the prevailing tensions.

He wrote on X, "I have just heard the news that the Union Minister of Education has resigned. I welcome the resignation. I hope it will defuse the situation, and pave the way for discussion of the fundamental issues in Parliament, and outside."

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday resigned from the Union Council of Ministers amid nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. Pradhan stated that he was stepping down in the larger interest of students to ensure that the country's youth do not become "trapped in a web of confusion."

In his resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan highlighted his long-standing association with education and reaffirmed his commitment to the aspirations of India's youth.

"For more than four decades, I have been associated with students, teachers, and the cause of education reform. I have always believed that a strong, inclusive, and forward-looking education system is the foundation of a strong nation," Pradhan said. Recalling the NEET-UG controversy, Pradhan stated that the Centre acted promptly after irregularities surfaced in the May 3 examination.

Recalling the NEET-UG controversy, Pradhan stated that the Centre acted promptly after irregularities surfaced in the May 3 examination.

"However, irregularities were found in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026. The Government of India immediately took cognisance of the matter, handed over the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination, and announced a date for the re-examination. Along with this, it was decided that from next year onwards, the examination would be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode," he said.

The Sambalpur MP emphasised that the government's priority was to ensure that the interests of over two million students were protected during the re-examination process.

"During this period, our primary concern was to ensure that the examination for more than two million students was conducted smoothly... From the very first day, I took responsibility for the situation and never turned away from it. My resolve was that we would not allow the prospects of any meritorious student to be harmed because of the examination controversy," Pradhan said.

He noted that the NEET-UG results declared on July 16 reflected the success of several meritorious students, including those from economically weaker sections."The NEET-UG results announced on July 16 were satisfactory, with many meritorious students from economically weaker backgrounds also achieving success," he said.

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