Delhi, July 25, IPU Media Update News: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned from his post amidst the nationwide uproar over irregularities and protests surrounding the NEET-UG examinations. He officially announced via X (formerly Twitter) that he had sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the letter, he provided a detailed explanation to the nation regarding the conduct of the exams, the subsequent developments, and the circumstances that led to his decision to resign.

✪ Key highlights from Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation letter

★ May 3 NEET Exam and Immediate Actions: Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the government responded immediately upon identifying irregularities in the NEET-UG exam held on May 3, 2026. He mentioned that the case was handed over to the CBI for investigation, the exam was cancelled, and dates for a re-examination were announced. Furthermore, he stated that a decision had been made to conduct the exam using a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode starting next year.

★ For the Future of 20 Lakh Students

He recalled that, with the cooperation of state governments, district administrations, and parents, the re-examination was successfully conducted for over 20 lakh students on June 21, 2026. The letter noted that many talented students from underprivileged backgrounds secured excellent ranks in the results released on July 16.

★ Did not shirk responsibility

He clarified that he had taken full responsibility for the incident from day one and remained committed to ensuring that the future of no talented student was ruined by the examination mafia.

★ The real reason behind the resignation decision

Dharmendra Pradhan expressed anguish over the protests at Jantar Mantar and the prevailing situation in the country over the past ten days.

★ To prevent the waste of students' time:
He expressed the hope that students would avoid legal entanglements and focus their valuable time solely on their studies and careers.

★ Preventing anti-national forces from exploiting the situation:
He revealed that the decision was taken to ensure that anti-national forces could not exploit the protest situation for their own selfish ends and to prevent any harm to the nation's unity.

★ Keeping youth away from political delusions:
The letter mentioned that he was deeply distressed by attempts made by certain individuals holding responsible positions to mislead the youth.

★ Gratitude to all

Dharmendra Pradhan expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve the education sector for four decades and described serving the nation under Prime Minister Modi's leadership as his good fortune. He concluded his letter by stating that, with the blessings of Lord Jagannath, he would continue to strive tirelessly to fulfill the aspirations of Mother India, the people of Odisha, and the nation's youth.

--- M Venkata T Reddy, News Editor And Investigative Journalist