After rising from student politics to national politics, Dharmendra Pradhan went on to take up key organisational responsibilities within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Published: July 23, 2026, 8:24 AM IST
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Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
New Delhi: Did you know that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is currently witnessing severe criticism over the NEET paper leak issues, once actively participated in several student protests during his college days? Pradhan, in 1997, led a student agitation in Odisha against the alleged examination paper leak. Janaki Ballabh Patnaik of the Congress was the chief minister of the state during that time. Around 1,500 students staged a protest outside the State Secretariat in Bhubaneswar against the alleged paper leak.
Dharmendra Pradhan, then serving as the National Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), was among the student leaders leading the demonstration. As per a report by The New Indian Express, Dharmendra Pradhan entered student politics at the age of 18 and played an active role in the ABVP, the student organisation affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
He studied Anthropology at Utkal University and served as the National Secretary of the ABVP twice between 1994 and 1997.
The report further adds that the agitation outside the state secretariat initially began peacefully but police later took action against the demonstrators. Prashant Rout, who was Pradhan’s junior, claimed that Dharmendra Pradhan sustained serious injuries during the police action and even suffered a fracture.
When Dharmendra Pradhan Was Attacked
Prashant Rout also said that the political violence was common during campus elections in those days. According to him, Dharmendra Pradhan was once attacked by the rival group when his victory in a student election became certain. Rout claimed that Pradhan narrowly escaped with his life in the incident.
After rising from student politics to national politics, Dharmendra Pradhan went on to take up key organisational responsibilities within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He later served as the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, before being entrusted with the Ministry of Education.
Dharmendra Pradhan and His Role in BJP’s Popularity in Odisha
- Dharmendra Pradhan played a significant role in expanding the BJP’s organisational base in Odisha
- Dharmendra Pradhan played a pivotal role in helping BJP form its first-ever government in the state in 2024.
- Pradhan began his political journey through the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party.
- He was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Deogarh, Odisha, in 2004.
- In 2012, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha.
- He returned to the Lok Sabha after winning the Sambalpur constituency in the 2024 general election.
- After the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance formed the government in 2014, Dharmendra Pradhan joined the Union Council of Ministers.
- He served as Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas from 2014 to 2021 and also briefly held the additional charge of the Ministry of Steel.
- He is the longest-serving Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas in independent India.
- Dharmendra Pradhan became India’s Union Minister of Education in July 2021.
- As Education Minister, he has overseen the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to reform school and higher education in India.
- He continued in the role after the 2024 general election.
Meanwhile, the NEET-UG paper leak controversy has intensified the political atmosphere. Following recent police action against students protesting alleged irregularities in the examination in New Delhi, opposition parties have stepped up their attacks on the government.
The opposition has alleged that the police used lathi charges and tear gas against the protesting students, while accusing the government of evading accountability over the examination controversy.
