Dharmendra Pradhan says Gen Z was misled during the NEET protests

August 9, 2026

New Delhi: Former Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan spoke openly for the first time regarding his resignation. He said that Gen Z youth were misled during the protests against the NEET paper leak controversy.

At the Padma Award winners’ felicitation ceremony in Sambalpur, Pradhan said that he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seriously acknowledge the concerns and demands of the youth.

‘Youth’s concerns should not be made a political issue’

Pradhan said that he had sought the Prime Minister’s permission to directly acknowledge the youth’s aspirations so that their grievances could not be used for political gain. According to him, Prime Minister Modi agreed and later addressed the issue himself.

Pradhan said that he felt that some people tried to mislead the new generation of students.

Resigned amid NEET controversy

Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Education Minister on July 25th amid ongoing student protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam.

In his resignation, he stated that his decision was aimed at protecting the future of students from legal and political controversies. He also stated that the government took immediate action after the exam irregularities were discovered and the investigation was handed over to the CBI.

Said – The Young Generation Will Play a Major Role

Pradhan described India’s youth population as crucial to the country’s future. He said that in the coming years, a large number of young people will play a key role in taking the country forward on the global stage.

BJD Targets

BJD leader and former minister Rohit Pujari hit back at Pradhan’s statement. He alleged that Pradhan was criticized because of police action during the student protests.

Pujari claimed that peacefully protesting students were lathi-charged and tear gas was used. He said similar incidents led to Pradhan facing political criticism and ultimately his resignation.