After stepping down as Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan received a warm welcome from NDA MPs in Parliament on Monday, with party leaders publicly expressing their support for him following his resignation over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Published: July 28, 2026, 10:51 AM IST
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Before Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, Centre 1st proposed to change his portfolio; CJP refused to budge: Report
Before Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down as Education Minister, the Centre tried to shift him to another ministry instead of removing him from the Union Cabinet. However, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) rejected the proposal, insisting that only his resignation would end the agitation, various media houses reported quoting government sources. However, CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka rejected the suggestion. They insisted that the protesters would accept only one outcome — Pradhan stepping down as Education Minister.
Reports also said that the government told the CJP delegation that the decision to appoint, remove or reshuffle ministers rests solely with the Prime Minister. As part of the discussions, it reportedly suggested changing Pradhan’s portfolio as a possible solution.
Government sources also said the CJP leaders felt that accepting anything short of his resignation would disappoint the protesters and weaken the movement.
A few hours before the third round of talks between the Centre and the CJP, Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Education Minister. Following his resignation, the CJP announced that it was ending its protest.
A day after stepping down as Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan received a warm welcome from NDA MPs in Parliament on Monday, with party leaders publicly expressing their support for him following his resignation over the NEET paper leak controversy.
The show of solidarity came as Parliament prepared to discuss the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which aims to strengthen the country’s anti-paper leak law after the NEET row.
Before Pradhan arrived, BJP MPs gathered at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament to receive him. As he entered the premises, party colleagues welcomed him, accompanied him inside and presented him with a ceremonial cap as a mark of support.
Meanwhile, Opposition leaders, led by Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, held a protest inside the Parliament complex over the alleged police action against students during the recent nationwide protests.
Chanting “Shiksha Chori” (theft of education), Opposition MPs accused the government of using excessive force against peaceful protesters and demanded an apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged police crackdown.
