Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned following nationwide protests over NEET examination paper leaks. Parliament is now expected to debate the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which proposes tougher penalties for fraud, including up to 10 years of imprisonment and fines reaching ₹50 lakh.
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Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan officially resigned from his cabinet position on Saturday. The move follows weeks of intense national protests driven by allegations of paper leaks in the NEET examination. While reports indicated that the central government initially considered a portfolio reshuffle to address the crisis, opposition groups, specifically the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), insisted on his full resignation as a necessary measure for accountability.
Following his departure, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a demonstration at the Parliament entrance on Monday to show support for the former minister. The focus now shifts toward the legislative response to the examination system's vulnerabilities. Parliament is set to deliberate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, a move designed to overhaul existing regulations regarding exam integrity.
This proposed legislation seeks to significantly increase the consequences for those involved in examination fraud. If enacted, the bill would raise the maximum prison sentence for such offenses from five years to ten years. Furthermore, the bill introduces substantial financial penalties, with fines of up to ₹50 lakh for those found guilty of engaging in unfair means during public examinations. These stricter measures reflect the government's attempt to restore credibility to the national testing process following the recent period of unrest.
Simultaneously, the political environment remains tense. Opposition leaders, including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have organized protests against the police response to student demonstrations. These groups have publicly called for an apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, citing concerns over the treatment of students during the widespread protests. The coming days in Parliament will likely see debates focused both on the specific provisions of the new amendment bill and the broader political conflict regarding the handling of student concerns and police action.