Dharmendra Pradhan resigns amid NEET-UG leak; NTA fires 47 officials
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down on July 25 after nationwide protests sparked by a paper leak in the NEET‑UG 2026 examination held on May 3. The leak prompted the Government of India to cancel the exam, hand the investigation to the CBI and announce a re‑examination date. In response, the National Testing Agency (NTA) dismissed 47 contractual and administrative staff and initiated criminal proceedings against several of them.
An expert committee chaired by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan was formed to recommend reforms for the NTA. The agency advertised four new General Manager positions covering information security, vigilance and digital forensics, test‑center operations, and psycodermics, and recruited 16 young professionals through the UPSC’s Prathibha Setu portal to strengthen research, legal affairs and financial governance. The government also confirmed that from 2027 onward NEET‑UG will be conducted as a computer‑based test.
Student activists, including a 26‑day hunger strike by Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar, continued to press for stronger anti‑paper‑leak legislation, leading to a parliamentary debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. Political leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opposition figures referenced the resignation as a key step toward restoring confidence in India’s education system.
Entities: Akhilesh Yadav · Dharmendra Pradhan · K. Radhakrishnan · Kiren Rijiju · Narendra Modi · National Testing Agency · National Testing Agency (NTA) · Prime Minister Narendra Modi · Sonam Wangchuk · Union Ministry of Education
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The government cancelled the compromised NEET‑UG exam and announced a re‑examination date. (multiple)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Four new General Manager positions were advertised at the NTA for information security, vigilance, test‑center operations, and digital forensics. (multiple)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Irregularities were found in the NEET‑UG exam held on May 3, 2026, leading to a paper leak. (multiple)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The National Testing Agency dismissed 47 officials following the NEET‑UG paper leak. (multiple)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister on July 25 amid NEET‑UG paper leak controversy. (belonging to)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Sixteen young professionals were recruited via the UPSC’s Prathibha Setu portal to strengthen NTA research, legal affairs, and financial governance. (multiple)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A committee chaired by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan was formed to recommend reforms for the NTA. (multiple)
- [● 2 SOURCES] From 2027 onward, NEET‑UG will be conducted as a computer‑based test. (multiple)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister on July 25. (multiple)