BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya said Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan offered to resign on the first day of student protests over NEET paper leaks.

This claim highlights the internal pressure and political volatility within the government following the widespread controversy surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. The admission suggests that the administration viewed the public outcry as a potential crisis for the ministry's leadership.

The student demonstrations began in June 2026 [1], centering on allegations of paper leaks and irregularities in the medical entrance exam. These protests, which took place in Delhi, sparked a national debate on the integrity of the testing process [1]. According to Vijayvargiya, the intensity of the movement led Pradhan to decide to resign immediately [2].

Vijayvargiya made these comments while in Indore, Madhya Pradesh [3]. He said that Pradhan was prepared to step down from his post on the first day the protests erupted [2]. The senior leader said the decision was a direct response to the NEET question paper leak controversy [4].

"Dharmendra Pradhan was ready to resign on the first day," Vijayvargiya said [2]. He said that the minister had offered his resignation specifically because of the leak controversy [4].

While the claim suggests a willingness to step down, the political fallout continued as the government faced mounting questions regarding the security of national exams. The narrative provided by Vijayvargiya suggests a level of accountability was considered at the highest level of the education ministry during the peak of the student unrest [1].

“"Dharmendra Pradhan was ready to resign on the first day,"”

The public acknowledgement by a senior BJP leader that a cabinet minister considered resigning indicates the severity of the NEET leak scandal. It suggests that the government recognized the legitimacy of the student grievances and the political risk associated with the Education Ministry's handling of the crisis, even if a formal change in leadership did not occur at that moment.