Dharmendra Pradhan

Senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said attempts were made to "mislead" Gen Z during the protests over the NEET paper leak issue, prompting him to quit as Union Education Minister. Pradhan broke his silence on his resignation while addressing students and teachers at GM University here, exactly two weeks after he stepped down amid massive protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi over the issue. "Gen Z is our children. Some people attempted to mislead them. I had no personal issues then. At least two crore children are born in India every year. During the last 10 years, 20 crore children were born. They have aspirations, and they will make India the 'Vishwa Guru'. The post was not important to me," Pradhan said. He said he had approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered to resign from the Union Council of Ministers. Pradhan resigned from the ministry on July 25. At another meeting in Rairakhol, Pradhan hit out at former Odisha chief minister and BJD

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Newly appointed Union education minister Prahlad Joshi has taken charge, officials said on Sunday. Joshi was appointed education minister after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the post on Saturday. Joshi has been given additional charge of the education ministry besides his role as the consumer affairs minister. Pradhan resigned from his post on Saturday following the Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests across the country, demanding his ouster over the NEET paper leak controversy. In his resignation letter, Pradhan said it was not a matter of "individual prestige" for him, and that he was disturbed to see the series of events that unfolded over the last 10 days.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the country, youth and students are far more important than any position for BJP workers and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan exemplifies this principle. His remarks came after Pradhan resigned on Saturday amid mounting pressure due to the protests over the NEET paper leak controversy. "The Modi government respects the sentiments of the country's youth and is committed to implementing the necessary reforms against paper leaks," he said in a post on X late Saturday night. "For the BJP, the nation, our youth and students hold far greater importance than any position," he said. The decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure strict punishment for those guilty of paper leaks are commendable, Shah said. "I am fully confident that these steps will ensure complete justice for the students who succeeded in the NEET examination," the Home Minister said. Shah said Pradhan has brought about significant .

At present, he oversees the ministries of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, along with New and Renewable Energy

The party said the Centre had agreed to provide compensation to the families of those who died during the protest in accordance with applicable rules and regulations

Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation follows mounting pressure over the NEET paper leak, marking only the second ministerial exit during Narendra Modi's 12 years in office

The minister's resignation comes weeks after protests over the leaking of the question paper for the highly-competitive National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Neet-UG) for admissions to medical colle

Citing 'deep anguish' over the ongoing protests, Dharmendra Pradhan said he has submitted his resignation to PM Modi amid sustained student agitations and mounting political pressure

As the Centre and opposition sparred over the alleged NEET paper leak case amid the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) protest, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Saturday said the political sparring should not overshadow the need for comprehensive reforms in the education system. In a post on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the protesters' demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had become the centre of political confrontation, while the real issue of reforming the examination system should not be lost. "Although the peaceful sit-in at Jantar Mantar has received widespread public sympathy, both the opposition and the government are engaged in intense politics over the protesters' adamant demand for the resignation of the Union education minister. The real issue of necessary, comprehensive reforms in the education system should not disappear," she said. Mayawati also alleged that opposition parties were competing to ...

After meeting protesters, Rahul Gandhi accused Centre of failing students and reiterated demands for Pradhan's resignation, punishment for those behind police action and sought PM Modi's apology

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday said he had been diagnosed with typhoid but vowed that his illness would not slow the movement seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. In a video message shared on social media, Dipke said he had been unwell for the past few days and was currently undergoing treatment. Despite his illness, he thanked CJP supporters for keeping the protests alive across the country and said that the movement would achieve its objective. "As you know, I have been unwell for the last few days. The reports are out and I have been diagnosed with typhoid," he said. Dipke said he was undergoing treatment and receiving intravenous medication. "The treatment is going on. I am getting IV drips every day. But I want to thank all the cockroaches who are protesting peacefully across the country," he said. Congratulating supporters for expanding the movement, Dipke said he believed sustained peaceful protests would help t

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Pradhan's resignation non-negotiable, says CJP; NTA fires 47 officials as part of Neet protest outreach; SC to hear pleas on police excesses on July 27