From V-C appointments to NCERT syllabus, controversies during Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure as Union education minister

Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday sent his resignation letter to PM Modi after more than a month of student protests anchored by Cockroach Janta Party.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after more than a month of student protests that spread from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to cities across the country.

The demonstrations, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and boosted by activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike, had made Pradhan’s exit their central demand over the government’s handling of the NEET-UG paper leak this year.

Posting his letter on X, Pradhan said he wanted to protect the future of students, keep “anti-national forces” from exploiting the situation at Jantar Mantar, and preserve national unity. The Prime Minister is yet to formally accept the resignation.

Pradhan’s four-and-a-half years at the helm of the education ministry — spanning the rollout of the National Education Policy (NEP), exam-related crises, and recurring friction with opposition-ruled states — were rarely free of controversy.

Here is a look at 10 flashpoints during his tenure:

1. Heckled at oath-taking (June 2024)

Pradhan's return to the Union Cabinet got off to a rocky start. As he rose to take his oath as an MP and minister in the newly constituted 18th Lok Sabha in June 2024, INDIA bloc members heckled him with chants of “NEET” and “Shame, Shame”. The protest reflected mounting anger over alleged irregularities in that year’s NEET-UG medical entrance exam, with Opposition MPs demanding a discussion on the paper leak scandal and pressing Pradhan on accountability.

2. NEET-UG paper leaks, twice over (2024 and 2026)

No issue dogged Pradhan more than the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test paper leaks. In 2024, allegations of paper leaks and grace-marks anomalies — with irregularities reported in Bihar and elsewhere — triggered nationwide protests, Supreme Court intervention and a CBI probe, and cost the National Testing Agency (NTA) its chief.

The crisis resurfaced this year. The NEET-UG exam held on May 3 was cancelled on May 12 after leaks were traced to guess papers circulating out of Rajasthan coaching centres. A re-test was subsequently held on June 21 under heavy security.

The episode disrupted millions of aspirants and prompted the CJP’s sit-in at Jantar Mantar.

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3. UGC-NET cancelled a day after (June 2024)

The ministry cancelled the UGC-NET exam on June 19, 2024 — just a day after it was conducted — following intelligence that question papers had leaked and were circulating on the dark net via Telegram and other platforms. Pradhan confirmed the breach and ordered a CBI probe. Coming in the middle of the NEET row, the episode further eroded confidence in the NTA.

4. A testing agency under constant strain

The NTA – which conducts NEET, JEE, CUET and NET among other major exams – faced sustained scrutiny through Pradhan’s tenure over technical glitches, faulty grade marking, data security and reliance on outsourcing. Critics blamed bureaucratic mismanagement and staff shortages. Multiple reforms panels were set up, including one led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chief K Radhakrishnan, but the controversies persisted into 2026, prompting leadership changes, terminations, and a renewed debate on shifting exams to computer-based testing.

5. CBSE’s on-screen marking crisis (2026)

The rollout of On-Screen Marking (OSM) for CBSE Class 12 board exams this year triggered a fresh row over alleged evaluation errors, poor scan quality, technical glitches and marking discrepancies.

An internal trial in January 2026 had flagged more than 36 issues that were allegedly overlooked before the rollout. Students and teachers protested, and senior CBSE officials were transferred. Pradhan took responsibility and promised action against those found guilty, though the opposition dismissed it as a superficial fix for deeper ministerial and board-level shortcomings. A committee has since been formed to examine alleged violations in OSM procurement.

6. States push back on PM SHRI schools

The PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, launched in 2022, ran into resistance from several non-BJP-led states. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and initially West Bengal and Punjab, delayed or refused to sign the required memorandum of understanding (MoUs), accusing the Centre of tying crucial funds – including under Samagra Shiksha — to ideological compliance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.