Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress, demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during a press conference in Delhi this week.

The demand follows widespread protests over the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper. The controversy has sparked significant civil unrest in the capital, highlighting growing tensions between students and the central government regarding the integrity of national competitive exams.

Speaking from Parliament, Gandhi said, "India's education system is rigged." He said the opposition has a duty to stand with the youth, stating, "If youth are on streets, opposition should be too."

The protests have centered around Jantar Mantar and the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The unrest has led to significant infrastructure disruptions, including the closure of 16 Delhi Metro stations [5].

Clashes between protesters and security forces have resulted in injuries to more than 118 police personnel [1]. Additionally, more than 20 police vehicles were damaged during the demonstrations [2].

Gandhi questioned the lack of convictions despite what he described as 150 paper leaks over the last 12 years. He linked the systemic failure to a lack of oversight and accountability within the education ministry.

Financial concerns regarding the administration of the exams were also raised. Reports indicate the estimated cost of one NEET exam is Rs 1.32 lakh crore [3], a figure that nears the total education budget of Rs 1.4 lakh crore [4].

Despite the volatility of the protests, Gandhi indicated he would not be deterred from his political stance. He said he was "happy to take more punches" in his effort to challenge the current administration's handling of the education sector.

“India's education system is rigged.”

The escalation of the NEET-UG 2026 controversy into a demand for ministerial resignation signals a shift from a policy dispute to a high-stakes political confrontation. By framing the issue as a 'rigged' system and highlighting the extreme cost of exam administration relative to the national education budget, the opposition is attempting to link administrative incompetence with systemic corruption to mobilize the youth vote.