The Congress Saturday celebrated the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, describing it as a “victory of millions of youths“. The development came after Pradhan stepped down from
the cabinet in the aftermath of mounting protests following the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026 paper leak.
In a post on ‘X’, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote: “India’s ‘Students’ Echo’ has finally reached the threshold of arrogant power. This is the victory of our millions of youth who raised their voices on the streets across the country to fix the education system. This is the victory of truth and the defeat of Mr. Modi’s stubbornness.”
भारत के ‘छात्रों की गूँज’ आख़िरकार अंहकारी सत्ता की दहलीज़ तक पहुँच गई।
ये हमारे करोड़ों युवाओं की जीत है जिन्होंने देशभर में शिक्षा व्यवस्था को दुरुस्त करने के लिए सड़क पर आवाज़ उठाई।
ये सत्य की जीत है और मोदी जी के हठ की हार है।
ये उन सभी परिवारों की जीत हैं जिन्होंने…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 25, 2026
Calling for strict action “those who unleashed lathis, batons, and pellet guns” on protestors at Jantar Mantar, he said: “This is the victory of all those families who lost their blood, their children, because this government is corrupt. This is the victory of the united opposition, who raised their voices from Parliament to the streets in the interest of the students. Now it is Mr. Modi’s turn to apologize to our young generation and to take strict action against those who unleashed lathis, batons, and pellet guns on them”.
The Congress had been supporting the students’ movement spearheaded by th Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also hailed the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protestors, saying that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was “forced to resign“. The development came after Pradhan stepped down from the cabinet in the aftermath of mounting protests following the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026 paper leak.
In a video message posted on ‘X’, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said: “They (Centre) used to say there were no resignations under Modi’s leadership. But the GenZs, the youth of the country, took the resignation of PM Narendra Modi’s key aide against his wish”.
Education Minister Dharmender Pradhan forced to RESIGN !!
GenZ at Jantar Mantar has achieved what no one could have dreamt. pic.twitter.com/9p9fOJW1kC
— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) July 25, 2026
“Education Minister Dharmender Pradhan forced to RESIGN!! GenZ at Jantar Mantar has achieved what no one could have dreamt”, Bharadwaj, a former MLA, said.
Speaking to the news agency ANI, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said: “Better late than never. This should have come earlier. There wouldn’t have been so much damage. The young generation across the country has lost faith in exams, so the entire system should change.”
#WATCH | Chandigarh: On the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda says, “Better late than never. This should have come earlier. There wouldn’t have been so much damage. The young generation across the country has lost… pic.twitter.com/RDCvVu0UGW
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2026
Hooda called for broader educational reforms, saying: “A new system should be introduced… The demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Education Minister wasn’t just from Congress alone; it was from the youth of the entire country…”
Dharmendra Pradhan’s Resignation
Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down as the Union Education Minister on Saturday, July 25, amid mounting students’ protests following the National Eligibility-cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026 paper leak controversy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted his resignation.
In his letter posted on ‘X’, Pradhan said he had taken responsibility for the paper leak controversy, adding he “never shied away” from it.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 25, 2026
“From the very first day, I took responsibility for the situation and never shied away from it. My resolve was that no deserving student should suffer because of examination mafias and no student should face injustice”, he said.
