NEET row: Naveen Patnaik renews call for Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation
Synopsis
Naveen Patnaik's renewed resignation call for Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET keeps the Opposition pressure alive — but the BJP's counter-offensive, citing a long list of alleged exam irregularities under the BJD's own watch, turns the political heat right back on Patnaik. The exchange exposes how the NEET crisis has become a two-front accountability battle.
Key Takeaways
Naveen Patnaik on 22 July reiterated his demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET paper leak .
Patnaik condemned the alleged police assault on protesting students in New Delhi on 20 July and the reported rough treatment of Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders.
The BJP alleged Patnaik remained silent on similar controversies during his own tenure as Odisha Chief Minister.
Odisha Minister Mukesh Mahaling listed multiple alleged exam irregularities under the BJD regime, including OTET paper leaks in 2016, 2019, and 2022 and Matric paper leaks in 2018 and 2019 .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called paper leaks a 'grave sin' and pledged strict punishment for the guilty.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday, 22 July again demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy, and condemned the alleged police assault on protesting students in New Delhi. Patnaik made the remarks upon his arrival in Bhubaneswar, citing widespread agitations across India and abroad over the issue.
What Patnaik Said
Speaking to reporters, Patnaik said agitations were being organised nationwide over alleged police action against young students and irregularities in competitive examinations. He announced that the BJD would continue its protests in Odisha over the NEET paper leak and the 20 July police crackdown on student demonstrators in New Delhi.
Patnaik also condemned what he described as the rough treatment meted out to Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders who had joined the protest demanding Pradhan's resignation.
'Everyone is deeply shocked by the police violence, the unnecessary violence by the police on young students. Not only young students, you would have seen yesterday that the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and many other senior politicians were also treated very roughly by the police. This is shocking,' Patnaik said.
BJP Fires Back at Patnaik
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted sharply, alleging that Patnaik should have first condemned violence by agitators before commenting on police action. The party also alleged that Patnaik himself remained silent on similar demands during his own tenure as Chief Minister of Odisha.
Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said it was 'unfortunate' that a senior leader like Patnaik was now lecturing others on 'ethics and morality' despite, as the BJP alleges, staying quiet over multiple examination irregularities during the BJD government's years in power.
'As an MLA from 2019 to 2024, we repeatedly raised issues such as the chit fund scam, the murder of former Health Minister Naba Das, and several examination irregularities. However, Naveen Babu never responded to the concerns raised by the Opposition or the people of Odisha,' Mahaling said.
BJP's List of Alleged BJD-Era Irregularities
Minister Mahaling alleged a string of examination and recruitment controversies during the BJD's rule, including the 2015 Odisha Police Constable recruitment irregularities, OTET question paper leaks in 2016, 2019, and 2022, Matric examination paper leaks in 2018 and 2019, issues with the OSSC recruitment examination, and the cancellation of the SSC Junior Engineer (Civil) Main Examination in 2023 due to irregularities.
Centre's Stance on NEET
Mahaling noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described examination paper leaks as a 'grave sin' and has assured the country that those found guilty would face the strictest possible punishment. The NEET controversy has triggered a nationwide debate on the integrity of competitive examinations, with political fault lines sharpening ahead of potential legislative scrutiny of the National Testing Agency.
Point of View
But the BJP's counter-listing of BJD-era exam irregularities — OTET leaks across three cycles, Matric paper leaks, constable recruitment fraud — is not easily dismissed. The NEET crisis has exposed a systemic failure that predates any single government or minister, yet both sides are using it as an accountability weapon rather than a reform opportunity. What is conspicuously absent from both camps is a concrete legislative proposal to fix the National Testing Agency. That silence is the real story.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Naveen Patnaik demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation?
Patnaik is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy and the alleged police assault on protesting students in New Delhi on 20 July. He argues that widespread agitations in India and abroad reflect public outrage that warrants ministerial accountability.
What happened to students protesting over NEET in New Delhi on 20 July?
According to Patnaik and Opposition leaders, police used force against students protesting the NEET paper leak in New Delhi on 20 July. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other senior politicians who joined the protest were also reportedly treated roughly by police, an allegation that has not been officially confirmed by authorities.
How has the BJP responded to Patnaik's criticism?
The BJP alleged that Patnaik should have first condemned violence by agitators before speaking about police action. Odisha Minister Mukesh Mahaling further alleged that Patnaik remained silent on multiple examination irregularities during the BJD government's own tenure, listing incidents from 2015 to 2023.
What examination irregularities are alleged to have occurred under the BJD government?
The BJP alleges that during the BJD's rule in Odisha, several controversies surfaced, including the 2015 Odisha Police Constable recruitment irregularities, OTET question paper leaks in 2016, 2019, and 2022, Matric paper leaks in 2018 and 2019, OSSC recruitment issues, and the cancellation of the SSC Junior Engineer (Civil) Main Examination in 2023. These are the BJP's allegations; they have not been independently adjudicated.
What is the Centre's position on the NEET paper leak?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly described examination paper leaks as a 'grave sin' and assured the country that those found guilty would face the strictest possible punishment. The government has not yet announced structural reforms to the National Testing Agency.
