Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on 25 July questioned the Centre's delay in accepting the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister, arguing the move should have come far sooner given the scale of student unrest triggered by the NEET-UG paper leak of 3 May. Speaking to reporters in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Yadav stopped short of praising the government, framing the resignation as an overdue concession wrested by student pressure.

Akhilesh Yadav's Reaction

Addressing the media, Akhilesh Yadav said: 'An important piece of news has come in. This is especially encouraging for the younger generation. Wherever this news has reached, people have celebrated with joy.' He then turned critical of the government's handling, asking: 'Why was there so much of stubbornness. If they had to do this only then the decision could have been taken earlier itself by holding talks with the students, especially when many students have lost their lives.'

Yadav also took a pointed dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late-night video address to students and youth, posted on his official Instagram account on Friday. 'The government had itself accepted that the exam paper leak did take place and even sacked officials... looking at the power of Gen Z, even the phone camera angle had to change,' he said — a reference widely interpreted as a jab at the optics-driven nature of the PM's outreach.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Weighs In

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, speaking to reporters in Kerala's Wayanad, also welcomed Pradhan's exit while broadening her critique to the ruling establishment's approach to dissent and education. 'Many times over the last 10 or 12 years, I have asked myself, When are our young people going to wake up?' she said. She alleged that 'the RSS is filling the entire education system' and that 'every post, every Vice-Chancellor, the ideology of our forefathers has been systematically broken down.'

Priyanka Gandhi added: 'Force has been used against young people, against anybody who raises their voice in protest. So today I am very happy that the youth of our country have spoken and nobody can ever dare to silence their voice.'

Background: NEET-UG Controversy

The resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan follows months of escalating student protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, including a paper leak that first came to light on 3 May. The controversy prompted the government to acknowledge the breach and dismiss implicated officials, yet opposition parties and student groups continued to demand ministerial accountability. The agitation drew nationwide attention and put the Centre under sustained political pressure from multiple opposition benches.

What This Signals

The episode marks a rare instance of sustained student-led pressure producing a high-profile ministerial exit. Both the Samajwadi Party and the Indian National Congress are framing the development as a vindication of youth-led protest, even as they fault the government for acting only after considerable delay. The political fallout is likely to keep the NEET controversy at the centre of parliamentary debate in the weeks ahead.