Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns Amid NEET Protest; CJP Pushes Centre on Remaining Demands

25 Jul 2026, 10:01 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

In a dramatic turnaround, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, conceding to the principal demand of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and the nationwide student movement that has gripped the country over the NEET paper leak controversy. The resignation marks the Centre’s biggest concession since protests erupted, with demonstrators demanding accountability for alleged failures in the examination system.

The move came as a surprise, particularly after government sources had, until Friday evening, maintained that Pradhan’s resignation was “not on the cards” and that accepting such a demand would amount to surrendering to pressure. However, following the third round of negotiations with CJP leaders, the Education Minister submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing supporters shortly after the announcement, CJP representatives welcomed the resignation with enthusiasm but made it clear that the movement was not over. They said that while the government’s acceptance of their foremost demand was an important milestone, their other two demands are pending.

Notably, some of the demands articulated by activist Sonam Wangchuk during his hunger strike differed from the broader set of demands put forward by the CJP.

Wangchuk had primarily sought institutional accountability, parliamentary discussion on the examination crisis, written assurances from senior government leaders, and protection for peaceful protesters. The CJP, while backing those concerns, expanded the movement’s demands to include Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak crisis, the withdrawal of criminal cases against protesting students, and action against police personnel accused of using excessive force during demonstrations.

With Pradhan’s resignation now secured, the CJP says its focus will shift to the remaining demands. Protest leaders indicated that the other issues would form the focus of the next round of engagement with the government.

The Centre had earlier indicated its willingness, in principle, to consider compensation for affected families and the withdrawal of cases against protesters, while seeking more time on the resignation issue, which has now been resolved. The demand for action against police officers, however, is expected to emerge as the next point of contention in negotiations.

In his resignation statement, Pradhan said he respected the aspirations of India’s youth and reiterated that the government had already initiated corrective measures, including a CBI investigation into the paper leak, cancellation and re-conduct of the examination, and a transition of NEET to a computer-based format from next year.

While the resignation has been celebrated by protesters as proof that sustained public pressure can compel political accountability, the agitation appears far from over. With the movement having secured its most symbolic victory, attention will now shift to how the Centre addresses the remaining demands—and what evolves in the coming days.

Beyond the immediate outcome, another question is beginning to emerge. Having led one of the country’s most consequential student-led agitations in recent years and secured its central political demand, the future trajectory of the CJP’s founding members—whether as individual public figures or as a collective political force—will be closely watched in the months ahead.