NEW DELHI: India’s Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has resigned from his position following widespread protests across several cities over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG).
In this regard, Pradhan said that he had dedicated the past four decades of his life to serving students, teachers, and educational reforms. He emphasized that safeguarding the aspirations of young people had always been a moral responsibility throughout his public career.
Pradhan stated that the government had acted promptly after allegations of irregularities surfaced. According to him, the matter was immediately handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for an independent inquiry.
He added that the examination was subsequently cancelled, a fresh examination was conducted, and a decision had been taken to introduce a computerized examination system from next year to improve transparency and prevent future controversies.
In this sense, Pradhan said he had accepted responsibility for the issue from the very beginning and had never attempted to avoid accountability.
However, he expressed disappointment that certain individuals had tried to mislead students and create obstacles during the course of the crisis.
The former minister further stated that the developments of the past ten days had left him saddened, but stressed that the matter was never about personal pride or political position.
He reasserted that India’s youth remain the country’s greatest strength and deserve a fair, transparent, and credible education system.
So far, Pradhan said the ongoing demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and protests in different parts of the country, along with concerns over national unity and the future of students, influenced his decision.
He added that he wanted to prevent the issue from becoming entangled in prolonged legal disputes and to ensure that the prevailing unrest was not exploited by what he described as “anti-national elements.”
Pradhan confirmed that he had submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister in the broader national interest, expressing hope that the decision would help restore public confidence and allow efforts to strengthen the country’s examination system to continue without further disruption.
