India: E Education Minister Pradhan says Gen Z 'misled'
08/09/2026 August 9, 2026 Gen Z was 'misled,' says Dharmendra Pradhan Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan broke his silence for the first time since he resigned
08/09/2026 August 9, 2026 Gen Z was 'misled,' says Dharmendra Pradhan Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan broke his silence for the first time since he resigned following massive youth protests. Speaking at a ceremony on Saturday, Pradhan said: "Gen Z is our children. Some people attempted to mislead them." Pradhan's acknowledgment of the protests and his resignation came some 15 days after he quit as the education minister.
Pradhan said he "suffered" because of Gen Z's stubbornness but had come to realize that the new generation must be understood rather than resisted. Speaking about his resignation, Pradhan said he had approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered to resign from the Union Council of Ministers. "The post was not important to me," Pradhan told a gathering at an event at GM University in Bhubaneswar, according to Indian news agency Press Trust of India.
Pradhan's resignation was the biggest demand made by the young protesters, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The protests were triggered over exam irregularities in competitive exams, especially the NEET exam, which is a key requirement for those wishing to enter medical schools across India. Reportedly, at least 21 students had taken their own lives after the NEET exam was cancelled because of a question paper leak.
It was then held at a later date.
The BriefWire