Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister on Saturday, 25 July, amid nationwide protests demanding accountability over exam irregularities. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nitin Nabin, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant each hailed the move as an act of selfless public service, saying Pradhan had chosen national interest over personal position.

BJP Chief Calls It a Mark of Integrity

Taking to social media platform X, BJP President Nitin Nabin credited Pradhan with driving the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 during his tenure as Education Minister. 'As Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan Ji played a pivotal role in reforming India's education landscape and successfully implementing the landmark National Education Policy (NEP 2020), among other initiatives,' Nabin said.

Nabin added: 'Prioritising larger interests, his decision to step down reflects the highest standards of integrity and selfless service in public life. The party stands firmly with Dharmendra Pradhan Ji in this decision.' He extended best wishes for Pradhan's future endeavours.

Delhi CM Highlights Education Reforms Under Pradhan

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in a post on X, said Pradhan had carried out every public responsibility with 'dedication, integrity, and complete commitment.' She pointed to his contributions in expanding education in Indian languages, broadening access to technical and higher education, and creating new opportunities for students under the NEP framework.

Chief Minister Gupta underlined that Pradhan's decision to resign demonstrated his 'unwavering commitment to ethical values, dignity, and principles in public life,' adding that he had 'placed the nation's interest above all else.'

Goa CM Recalls Four Decades of Public Service

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, also posting on X, described the resignation as consistent with the 'sense of responsibility that has marked his four decades in public life.' Sawant traced Pradhan's career from his early years in student activism to his stewardship of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, where the Ujjwala scheme reached crores of households, and finally to his tenure leading the Ministry of Education.

'His leadership in the National Education Policy leaves a lasting imprint on our education ecosystem,' Sawant said. He expressed confidence that, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan would continue contributing to a Viksit Bharat.

Context: Resignation Amid Exam Irregularity Protests

Pradhan's exit comes against the backdrop of sustained nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, with opposition parties and students' groups pressing for ministerial accountability. This is the first high-profile resignation from the Union Cabinet directly linked to the exam controversy. How the government addresses the underlying concerns around examination integrity will now be closely watched under whoever succeeds Pradhan at the ministry.