Congress MP Manish Tewari demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following a paper leak in the NEET-UG 2026 exam [2].

The demand underscores a growing political confrontation over the integrity of India's medical entrance exams and the government's treatment of student activists.

Tewari said that accountability for the leak and the crackdown on protesters must start at the top. He cited the treatment of students during their demonstrations as a primary reason for the minister's necessary departure.

"Somebody has to take responsibility for the brutality inflicted on those students. The Education Minister has to go…That accountability begins at the top," Tewari said.

The controversy centers on allegations that the NEET-UG 2026 paper was leaked on May 3, 2026 [3]. In response, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijeet Dipke, organized a sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The protest lasted 25 days [1].

Reports on the nature of the demonstrations vary. Some accounts indicate the sit-in continued peacefully during its third day on June 22, 2026 [4]. However, other reports state that a protest march toward Parliament turned violent on a Monday during the agitation [4].

Tewari said the government should stop using a "heavy hand" on students. The CJP has intensified its agitation, maintaining that the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan is the only acceptable resolution to the crisis [5].

The sit-in, which began on May 4, 2026, highlighted the frustration of thousands of medical aspirants who claim the leak compromised the fairness of the national examination [3].

“"The Education Minister has to go…That accountability begins at the top."”

The demand for a cabinet-level resignation reflects a shift from criticizing administrative failures to seeking political accountability. By linking the alleged 2026 paper leak to the physical treatment of protesters, the opposition is attempting to frame the NEET controversy not just as a systemic failure of exam security, but as a broader issue of democratic rights and state overreach.