New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said he had tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the larger interests of students and the country following the controversy surrounding the 2026 NEET-UG examination. In an open letter addressed to the nation's youth, Pradhan said the events of the past 10 days had saddened him and stressed that the issue was not one of his "personal prestige".
He cautioned that anti-national forces should not be allowed to exploit the situation unfolding at Delhi's Jantar Mantar or elsewhere in the country, adding that national unity must remain intact. Charging that "certain individuals occupying responsible positions" had attempted to mislead students and create obstacles, he said the developments had caused him "deep anguish". He also said he would not allow the country's youth to "fall into confusion or deception", describing them as India's "real strength" and the builders of a developed nation.
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Pradhan urged that no student's future should become entangled in prolonged legal disputes and appealed to students to devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers. The minister acknowledged that irregularities had come to light in the May 3 NEET-UG examination. He said the Centre acted swiftly by handing the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), cancelling the examination and announcing a fresh test. He added that, from next year onwards, NEET would be conducted in the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. Pradhan said the government's foremost priority during the crisis was to ensure that examinations for more than 20 lakh students were conducted smoothly.
According to him, the Centre, state governments, district administrations, students, parents and guardians all worked together under a "whole-ofgovernment approach", enabling the re-conducted examination to be completed successfully on June 21. He also described the results, declared on July 16, as satisfactory, saying they enabled many meritorious students from economically weaker backgrounds to succeed. The minister said he had accepted responsibility from the very first day and had never attempted to evade accountability.
"I was determined that no meritorious student's future would be ruined because of the examination mafia and that no student would suffer injustice," he said. Recalling his four-decade association with education, Pradhan said he had always believed that a strong, inclusive and transparent education system was the foundation of a strong nation. He said fulfilling the aspirations of India's youth had always been a moral commitment in public life and reaffirmed his faith in the strength of Indian democracy.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for his "guidance, trust and constant support", Pradhan also thanked his Cabinet colleagues, officers and staff of the Education Ministry, and all those with whom he had worked. Concluding the letter, he said that with the blessings of Lord Jagannath he would continue to dedicate himself to Mother India, the people of Odisha and the fulfilment of the aspirations of the country's youth, adding that service to the nation would always remain the highest priority of his life.
