‘Some Attempted To Mislead Gen Z’: Pradhan On Why He Resigned As Education Minister Amid NEET Row

Published 9 August 2026 · politics

News india ‘Some Attempted To Mislead Gen Z’: Pradhan On Why He Resigned As Education Minister Amid NEET Row ‘Some Attempted To Mislead Gen Z’

News india ‘Some Attempted To Mislead Gen Z’: Pradhan On Why He Resigned As Education Minister Amid NEET Row ‘Some Attempted To Mislead Gen Z’: Pradhan On Why He Resigned As Education Minister Amid NEET Row Published By, Last Updated: August 09, 2026, 06:54 IST Dharmendra Pradhan said attempts were made to mislead Gen Z during the NEET paper leak protests and revealed he had offered to resign as Education Minister. Dharmendra Pradhan speaks about his resignation as Education Minister amid the NEET controversy. (Photo: PTI) Senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan has said attempts were made to “mislead" Generation Z during the protests over the NEET paper leak controversy, revealing that he had himself approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered to resign as Union Education Minister. Pradhan made the remarks on Saturday while addressing students and teachers at GM University in Sambalpur, exactly two weeks after he stepped down from the Union Council of Ministers amid massive protests over the NEET issue. ‘THE POST WAS NOT IMPORTANT TO ME’ Breaking his silence on his resignation, Pradhan said he had no personal issues at the time and maintained that the aspirations of young Indians were more important to him than his ministerial position. “Gen Z is our children. Some people attempted to mislead them. I had no personal issues then," Pradhan said, according to news agency PTI. He said India sees the birth of around two crore children every year and that nearly 20 crore children had been born over the preceding decade.

“These children have aspirations, and they will make India the ‘Vishwa Guru’. The post was not important to me," he said. Pradhan also said he had approached Prime Minister Modi and offered to step down from the Union Council of Ministers. He resigned from the Education Ministry on July 25. ‘I AM A FARMER’S SON, I WILL COME BACK’ At another meeting in Rairakhol, Pradhan took aim at former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik over protests organised against him. Referring to a protest by BJD youth and student wing activists near the airport, where demonstrators raised slogans such as “Dharmendra Pradhan Go Back", the BJP leader said he was not affected by such protests. “I am a farmer’s son. Even if you tell me to go back, I will come back," Pradhan said. He also hit back at Patnaik over alleged criticism directed at him. “Naveen Babu also calls me a disgrace to the people of Odisha and a bad person," Pradhan said, accusing the BJD president of involving young people in protests against him. “Have I ever done anything that will shame the people of Odisha?" he asked, prompting the gathering to respond with “No". Pradhan said that while he may not have brought laurels to Odisha, he had never done anything through his work that would bring disgrace to the state. “I may not be bringing laurels for the state, but I have never disgraced the people by my work.