'Host of failures and corruption': Congress steps up attack, seeks Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation
The Congress on Wednesday intensified its attack on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, with party general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh accusing him of "failures
The Congress on Wednesday intensified its attack on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, with party general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh accusing him of "failures and corruption" during his tenure while reiterating the demand for his resignation. In a post on X, Ramesh alleged that the demand for Pradhan's resignation was "not premised on one issue but a whole host of failures and corruption" that had characterised his tenure as Union education minister. Referring to the ongoing protests over alleged examination irregularities, Ramesh accused Pradhan of refusing to resign despite "disappointing the aspirations of millions of students". Quick answers to key questions ā¢ 5 QUESTIONS 1 What accusations are being made against Dharmendra Pradhan regarding his tenure as Union Education Minister? āµ Dharmendra Pradhan is accused of 'failures and corruption,' including mishandling examination irregularities and failing to act on recommendations aimed at strengthening the Testing Agency (NTA).
2 Why did Congress demand Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation? āµ Congress demanded Pradhan's resignation due to alleged repeated failures in managing student examinations and for disappointing the aspirations of millions of students during his tenure. 3 How has the Testing Agency (NTA) been criticized in relation to Pradhan's leadership? āµ The NTA has faced criticism for multiple issues, including question paper leaks and examination cancellations, which have been highlighted as failures during Pradhan's tenure. 4 What is Congress's stance on the government's handling of protests over the NEET exam issues? āµ Congress condemns the government's response to protests, accusing it of police brutality against student demonstrators and undermining their democratic rights. 5 Should students be concerned about the integrity of examinations under the current educational administration? āµ Yes, students have raised concerns over the integrity of examinations, citing allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the Ministry of Education and associated agencies.
Ramesh points to 'repeated failure' of NTA The Congress leader alleged repeated failures of the Testing Agency (NTA), including question paper leaks and examination cancellations in 2024, as well as the alleged NEET-UG and UGC-NET Sociology paper leaks in 2026. He also claimed that the government had ignored recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education aimed at strengthening the NTA. He further alleged irregularities in the procurement of the On Screen Marking (OSM) system for the CBSE Class 12 board examinations, claiming that the tender process was revised multiple times to benefit a private company. He also questioned the status of a one-member inquiry panel appointed by the government to investigate the matter. The Congress leader also accused the Centre of appointing vice chancellors to central universities based on political considerations. He claimed that students and faculty members at institutions including Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University and Allahabad University had raised allegations of corruption and authoritarian functioning against their administrations.
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