Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25, 2026, following weeks of protests by students and the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar over alleged NEET paper leaks. The President accepted the resignation and assigned Pralhad Joshi additional charge of the ministry. The CJP called off its 36-day agitation after the government accepted key demands including withdrawal of FIRs and compensation.
Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation in a post on X on July 25, 2026. In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he cited concerns over the situation at Jantar Mantar and the need to prevent exploitation by anti-national forces. The President, on the advice of the Prime Minister, accepted the resignation with immediate effect under Article 75(2) of the Constitution and directed Pralhad Joshi to take charge of the Education Ministry.
The Cockroach Janta Party, which had led the sit-in since mid-June, declared the resignation its first victory. Founder Abhijeet Dipke told the gathering that the move proved peaceful protest could succeed. The group said the government had agreed to withdraw all FIRs against protesters, provide maximum compensation to families of students who died by suicide, and consider its five-point exam reform charter in talks within four weeks.
Celebrations broke out at Jantar Mantar with chants of “Hum Jeet Gaye”. Police urged the crowd to disperse peacefully and reopened metro stations. Some stone pelting occurred after the announcement, leading to lathi charge and tear gas. Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Sonam Wangchuk welcomed the resignation as a victory for students while calling for further accountability and reforms.
