Dharmendra Pradhan resigns LIVE: Amit Shah says ‘students more important than positions’; police clear protest site

Anbumani Ramadoss, president of Puducherry's Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha said former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation is “welcome.” He also noted that NEET should be scrapped, arguing for a state-based structure for medical entrance.

“The resignation of the Union Education Minister over the NEET exam scandal is welcome,” he said. "The central government should completely cancel the NEET exam... If an exam is to incite suicides, then that exam is not needed."

On being given the additional charge of the Education Ministry, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi says, "...I accept this responsibility with a sense of duty and humility. I am thankful to the Prime Minister. In the last 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, many historic achievements have been made. In the last four to five years, Dharmendra Pradhan also implemented the National Education Policy, and several important initiatives were undertaken. The country has made significant progress in the new education system. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, I will work to the best of my ability and fulfil my responsibilities with dedication"

Actor Alia Bhatt was among the first Bollywood celebrities to react to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation on Saturday following weeks of student protests over alleged irregularities in competitive exams, including the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.

Soon after the resignation was announced, several celebrities from Bollywood took to social media to speak about the protests and the role of young people.

The 'Raazi' actor reacted to the news on her Instagram Stories to praise the younger generation. The actress wrote, "Gen Z showed up! The rest is history."

Veteran Indian wrestler and three-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat hailed the youth of the country, calling them the 'force that shapes the future' following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak row, saying that 'democracy won and fear lost.'

Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, saying that he wanted to ensure that the protests over examination irregularities were not exploited by "anti-national forces."

In a post on X, Vinesh Phogat praised the youth-led movement, saying it reflected the nation's spirit and highlighted the courage of young protesters. She said the youth, guided by faith in the Constitution, emerged as powerful voices despite attempts to intimidate them.

"Yeh aandolan ne humein bataya ki desh ki aatma abhi bhi jaag rahi hai. Yuva sirf bheed nahi hote, woh bhavishya ki disha tay karne wali shakti hote hain. Sadkon par khade un bachchon ne humein sahas ka asli arth samjhaya. Haathon mein phool, dilon mein Samvidhan par vishwas tha. Jinhe daraane ki koshish ki gayi, wahi sabse oonchi awaaz bankar ubhre," she said. (This movement showed us that the soul of the nation is still alive. The youth are not merely a crowd; they are the force that shapes the future. Those young people standing on the streets taught us the true meaning of courage. With flowers in their hands, and faith in the Constitution in their hearts--those whom attempts were made to intimidate emerged as the loudest voices.)

Terming the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan a "historic victory" for agitating students, CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Saturday stated that the youth ultimately compelled the now former Union Minister to yield to public pressure after trying to avoid accountability for months.

Speaking to the reporters, Baby recounted the trajectory of events leading to Pradhan's resignation, saying that the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) along with activist Sonam Wangchuk demanded compensation to the bereaved families of students who died by suicide after the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The other demands included withdrawl of cases against the protesting students. He noted that after continuous struggle and efforts, Pradhan was compelled to put in his resignation papers.

"This is a demand that Narendra Modi has been trying to avoid all along. Student organisations and the newly formed CJP leader, my friend Abhijit Dipke, Sonam Wanchuk; all of them have been in the struggle front demanding compensation to the families of those students who were compelled to commit suicide as a result of the corruption and anarchy in relation to the entrance examination," the CPM MP said.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Saturday said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation was "just the beginning" and claimed that more such resignations would follow.
"Pradhan's resignation is just a beginning. A series of resignations would follow soon, as the entire government is involved in malpractices. Every department is knee-deep in corruption and irregularities. Let us see how fast the ministers exit the Union cabinet," JMM general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya told reporters.

Against the backdrop of high-voltage political drama, nationwide protests, and the recent resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Central Government is set to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh will move for leave to introduce the legislation. The Bill introduces seven key amendments designed to plug enforcement loopholes, establish dedicated judicial mechanisms, and accelerate criminal trials following widespread irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination.

The legislative push comes after a complete washout of the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, which commenced on July 20, as opposition parties and student groups maintained unrelenting pressure on the Centre over paper leaks.

Delhi Police entered the protestors' side at Jantar Mantar and are asking people to leave.

Former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday urged Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke to visit the state and help dislodge the BJP-led government headed by Samrat Choudhary.

Yadav, who floated Janshakti Janata Dal after his father Lalu Prasad's RJD expelled him, made the appeal on social media, shortly after the CJP called off its protest in Delhi following the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak.

"I, Tej Pratap Yadav, make this special appeal to Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, that he come immediately to the land of Bihar," said the mercurial leader, who, incidentally, had ended up being detained by police earlier in the day for supporting a bandh called by Left-wing students' unions.

Yadav voiced concern over "current political situation" in the state to underscore the need for a "robust and strong people's movement" that could "uproot and throw out the government of Samrat Choudhary".

Yadav, who tagged CJP as well as Choudhary and the BJP's Bihar unit in the post, also promised "full and unwavering support of my Janshakti Janata Dal.... in this fight for change".

After the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) withdrew its protest from Jantar Mantar, spokesperson Saurav Das on Saturday said that the outfit will continue to raise the youth's issues.

Meanwhile, the CJP has withdrawn their agitation, saying the decision was taken in "good faith" as the government agreed to its demands. Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as the education minister following over a month-long protest across the nation.

Das told reporters, "Democracy has been restored. Democracies demand accountability, answerability. The youth of the country are the future; they have been able to restore it. This is a major victory. The youth of the country have withdrawn from this agitation; however, please stop the manner in which you govern by doing anti-Muslim, anti-Christian politics. Please work for the welfare of every community, including the students; only then will you have people's trust."

"This is just a trailer. The picture is still to come. The youth of the country have awakened. The youth of the country will solve all the problems in this country. As a party, as a movement, this is obviously not ending. Now we will go across the country, listen to the youth, bring the best policies for them, and continue to demand accountability from everyone. This is just the beginning. There is much more to be done," he added.

Social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday highlighted that peaceful agitation and democratic dialogue are the only ways to address public grievances after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) called off the agitation in the wake of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

Speaking to reporters in Ahilyanagar, the 89-year-old activist recalled his own history of civil agitation to emphasise that lasting systemic change comes through conversation rather than confrontation.

Underlining that public interest must always take precedence, Hazare highlighted his lifelong commitment to satyagraha:

"Any issue gets resolved through dialogue. Dialogue leads to solutions. Creating tension and going down the wrong path will not solve anything. Dialogue is the most crucial thing. I have conducted 22 hunger strikes, but I never resorted to violence. Things should be resolved through the medium of dialogue. The welfare of society, whatever is right should be done."

"I did 22 fasts, never used violence, and because of that, 10 laws were enacted. This is essential; creating violence is not right. Whoever the person may be, one should never indulge in violence," he added.

President Droupadi Murmu has accepted Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as education minister, and Pralhad Joshi will be getting additional charges. The development comes hours after Pradhan announced he has tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Joshi is currently the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy.

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Saturday hailed activist Sonam Wangchuk's 26-day hunger strike as the moral force behind the nationwide movement against alleged examination irregularities, saying his Gandhian satyagraha had "awakened an entire nation," hours after the organisation announced the withdrawal of its 37-day agitation at Jantar Mantar following an agreement with the Centre.

In a post on X, the CJP expressed gratitude to Wangchuk for lending moral leadership to the movement and credited his peaceful protest with uniting people across the country.

"Sonam Wangchuk's (@Wangchuk66) Gandhian satyagraha awakened an entire nation. Fasting for 26 days for the youth of this country was a pure and supreme sacrifice. It will go down in history as the moral force that united us all against impossible odds. Words cannot fully express our thanks for your contributions. We love you and are endlessly grateful for your satyagraha," the organisation posted.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday praised Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for stepping down from his post, saying the BJP leader placed national interest above personal considerations.

In a statement, Fadnavis credited Pradhan with leading key reforms in the education sector, including the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), the launch of PM SHRI Schools, expansion of IITs abroad and conducting national entrance examinations in 19 languages.

"Shri Dharmendra Pradhan ji has undertaken several important reforms in the country's education sector. He played a pivotal role in implementing the National Education Policy," Fadnavis said.

Referring to Pradhan's resignation, which came after the nationwide protests spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party over the NEET paper leak scandal, the chief minister said it reflected his commitment to the larger good of society.

"By submitting his resignation today, he has once again demonstrated that for a BJP worker, the nation always comes first. He placed the nation's interest above personal gain, which is the hallmark of a true BJP karyakarta (volunteer)," Fadnavis said.

"The entire BJP family stands firmly with him," he added.

A member of the BJP's Margdarshak Mandal (guiding council), the party's former president Murli Manohar Joshi reacted with “better late than never” to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation amid massive youth protests over exam paper leaks and other issues.

“I appreciate and congratulate all the students for their peaceful conclusion to the movement. I hope that now peace will soon be established in the world of Indian education and that the young people will have ample opportunities for their bright future and progress,” said Joshi, who also led India's education policy as minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's BJP-led NDA government nearly three decades ago.

He also said he hoped the PM “will take an immediate and timely decision”, purportedly referring to formal acceptance of the resigantion.

All Delhi metro stations are now open for public after the CJP protest ends.

The United Nations has said it is "aware" of the students' demonstrations in New Delhi and that it is important that people wishing to protest peacefully be allowed to do so without any fear of harassment, arrest or injury.

Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, responding to a question on Friday about the UN's position on the youth-led protests in India, said, "We're obviously very much aware of the protests that we've seen in New Delhi."

"It is important that people wishing to protest peacefully be allowed to do so without the fear of harassment, the fear of arrest, or the fear of injury," said Dujarric.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation on Saturday over the NEET paper leak controversy was not the sole instance when the Narendra Modi government yielded to sustained public or political pressure since coming to power in 2014.

The first major retreat came in 2015 when the government sought to amend the land acquisition law to make it easier to acquire land for infrastructure and industrial projects.

The move triggered widespread opposition from farmer organisations, opposition parties and several NDA allies, who argued that the changes diluted existing safeguards and were anti-people. The government eventually allowed the proposal to lapse. Modi announced that the existing law would remain unchanged.

Three years later came the first ministerial resignation under public pressure.

In October 2018, then minister of state for external affairs M J Akbar resigned during the Me Too movement after several women accused him of sexual harassment during his days as an editor. Akbar denied the allegations but stepped down.

The government's biggest policy reversal came in November 2021 when Modi announced the repeal of the three farm laws.

The laws triggered a yearlong agitation, with thousands of farmers camping at Delhi's borders demanding their withdrawal. Although the government consistently defended the reforms, it eventually gave in, with Parliament passing the repeal legislation.

In August 2024, the Centre withdrew a UPSC advertisement for lateral recruitment to senior civil services after objections from opposition parties and NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) over the absence of reservation provisions.

Another retreat followed in November 2025 when the government decided against introducing the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill after facing strong political opposition, particularly from parties in Punjab, which argued that the proposal would dilute the state's political representation.

Pradhan's resignation on Saturday marks the latest instance of the government conceding to pressure.

The Internet is back in the Jantar Mantar area as the CJP called off their protest.

CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said a demand charter was submitted to the government, and the government has agreed to work on it.

“We will meet them again after one month,” he said.