Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 22, 2026 [1].

The demand follows a political impasse in the Rajya Sabha over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. This confrontation highlights the growing tension between the opposition and the government regarding academic integrity and the treatment of student protesters.

Kharge called for the upper house to discuss the matter under Rule 267, a procedural tool used to raise urgent issues by suspending other business. He said the opposition would only be ready for any discussion after the Education Minister resigns [1].

According to Kharge, the government refused to agree to the Rule 267 discussion and insulted senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi [1]. He linked the urgency of the debate to recent events involving student activists. Kharge said the police action against students on Monday caused him immense pain [3].

While the opposition maintains that the minister's resignation is a prerequisite for dialogue, the government has offered a different position. Government officials said they are ready for a debate but argued that the opposition should not impose new conditions [3].

Kharge said discussions should take place under Rule 267 before any further proceedings in the house occur [2]. The opposition views the paper leak as a critical failure of the education system that requires immediate accountability at the highest level.

“We will be ready for any discussion only after the resignation of the Education Minister.”

The invocation of Rule 267 is a strategic move by the opposition to force a high-profile debate on a public grievance, effectively halting the government's legislative agenda. By tying the debate to Minister Pradhan's resignation, the Congress party is shifting the focus from a policy failure to a demand for personal accountability, escalating the NEET-UG controversy into a broader confrontation over government transparency and the handling of civil dissent.