Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns as Union Education Minister Amid Student Protests
NEW DELHI: Dharmendra Pradhan, who earlier gained recognition for leading a protest against a Class 12 exam question paper leak in Odisha back in 1996, stepped down from his role as Union Education Minister on Saturday. His resignation follows significant protests from students upset over the NEET-UG paper leak.
The government responded to major demands from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the opposition, as Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Modi. This marks an unusual occurrence, as it is rare for a cabinet minister in this government, active for over a decade, to be forced out. This decision is seen as a setback for the BJP and a boost for opposing parties.
Pralhad Joshi, a five-time MP from Karnataka who holds multiple ministerial roles, has taken on the additional responsibility of managing the education portfolio.
CJP members, led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, ended their protests after discussions with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh. “Democracy wins,” stated the CJP on social media. They announced the immediate end of their protests during a press conference.
The government has also agreed to provide “honorable” compensation to the families of NEET candidates who took their own lives due to stress, and it will withdraw police complaints against students protesting in Delhi and other BJP-led states. The two sides plan to reconvene in four weeks to discuss further reforms in the examination system.
In his resignation statement, Pradhan mentioned he stepped down to prevent “anti-national forces” from seizing the opportunity created by the ongoing protests. He acknowledged the students’ role in these events, referring to them as “my young friends,” a nod to the younger generation driving the CJP-led demonstrations.
The BJP’s decision to concede to the students’ demands shows a level of pragmatism. Historically, the party rarely makes such concessions, but in light of intense street protests, they opted for a strategic retreat to avoid further conflict. Similar tactics were seen in November 2021 when Prime Minister Modi backed down from controversial farm laws after prolonged farmer protests.
Amidst the protests, Rahul Gandhi has also increased his visibility, engaging in demonstrations to avoid letting CJP gain overshadowing influence. However, the BJP has usually managed to withstand such challenges with minimal fallout.
Despite the situation, there was a sense of sympathy for Pradhan, who previously initiated popular initiatives like the Ujjwala scheme. Senior government officials believed they had to act decisively to prevent violence that could have been blamed on them.
In his remarks, Pradhan emphasized his long-standing commitment to student education and took full responsibility for the implications of the NEET-UG paper leak. He highlighted that the results of the re-exam were issued on time and many deserving students succeeded. Pradhan also pointed fingers at some politicians for misleading the student community.
As he resigned, senior BJP figures expressed their continued support for Pradhan, recognizing his important contributions to the party and the public. BJP president Nitin Nabin praised his dedication to public service and commitment to integrity.
