Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, and UP BJP chief Pankaj Chaudhary have acknowledged Dharmendra Pradhan’s contributions as Union education minister following his resignation from the post. Adityanath said education shapes a nation’s character, refines its consciousness, and determines the direction of its future. He praised Pradhan for making this ‘national vision’ the foundation of his work, consistently striving to ensure that every young Indian connects with opportunities, recognizes their talent, takes pride in their roots, and becomes an active participant in the resolve to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
Under Pradhan’s leadership, continuous efforts were made to align education with innovation, skill development, the Indian knowledge tradition, research, and global competitiveness, Adityanath added. Deputy Chief Minister Maurya said that the resignation reflects Pradhan’s commitment to high ethical values and democratic traditions in public life. This decision also demonstrates that, under the leadership of the respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the future and trust of students remain paramount, Maurya said.
UP BJP chief and Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary credited Pradhan for the successful implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). He said the resignation, taken in the interest of students, reflects high ethical values in politics. Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post on Saturday over the NEET paper leak row, saying he was disturbed to see the series of events that have unfolded in the last 10 days.
The resignation came amid Cockroach Janta Party-led protests at the Jantar Mantar, demanding his accountability over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and irregularities in the CBSE’s on-screen marking process. Meanwhile, in Panaji, two youths were detained for allegedly expressing support for jailed student activist Umar Khalid amid celebrations over Pradhan’s resignation. The youths, identified as Danish and Sudin Dalvi, were taken into custody after they refused to disclose their identity and allegedly misbehaved with mediapersons.
The Congress party has erupted in joy at the news of Pradhan’s resignation, with leaders distributing sweets in Lucknow. UP Congress chief Ajay Rai said the sit-in by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi outside the prime minister’s residence in Delhi proved to be the turning point of the protest. In a post on X, the UP Congress said the atmosphere of celebration was clearly visible at the Congress state headquarters in Lucknow, where party workers and office-bearers came together to express their joy.
The party said the resonance of this sentiment has made it clear that governments driven by arrogance and authoritarianism can no longer withstand public pressure.
