Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and opposition MPs demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during the Monsoon Session [1].
The demand marks a significant escalation in the political standoff over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. By making the minister's resignation a precondition for debate, the opposition is attempting to hold the government directly accountable for the integrity of national medical entrance examinations.
The protests occurred in the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi on the fourth day of the Monsoon Session 2026 [1, 3]. Opposition members said the Education Minister is responsible for the paper leak and must step down before any official parliamentary discussion on the matter can proceed [2, 4].
This clash led to multiple disruptions in the Upper House. Reports on the exact timing of the resulting adjournments vary; one source said the house was adjourned until 12:00 PM [5], while another reported the adjournment lasted until 2:00 PM [6].
Kharge and other opposition leaders have shifted their strategy from requesting a probe to demanding a leadership change within the ministry. This move aims to ensure that the debate on the NEET-UG scandal is not managed by the individual they hold responsible for the failure [2, 4].
The government has not yet conceded to these demands, and the impasse continues to stall legislative business during the current session [3, 5].
“Opposition demands Pradhan's resignation before any parliamentary debate on the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.”
The insistence on a resignation as a prerequisite for debate indicates a breakdown in legislative cooperation. By framing the Education Minister's tenure as the primary obstacle to a fair inquiry, the opposition is leveraging the high public sensitivity surrounding student exams to pressure the administration into a high-level political concession.
