India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan faces calls for resignation amid NEET paper leak protests

Congress leaders have launched a nationwide 40‑day campaign called “Chhatron Ki Goonj” (Students’ Voice) to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over repeated NEET‑UG exam paper leaks. The party alleges more than 90 leaks, links to coaching‑institute networks, and claims that at least 20 students have died by suicide because of the controversy. The outreach will cover 28 cities, involve leaflet drives, campus meetings and demonstrations outside district collectorates on August 1, culminating in a “Delhi Chalo” march on August 9.

Prominent opposition figures such as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka minister Satej Patil have accused the BJP government of a massive trust deficit and called the minister’s remarks on protesters “terrorist” language. The Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke used the minister’s birthday at Jantar Mantar to reiterate the demand for resignation, while climate activist Sonam Wangchuk threatened a hunger strike over the issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, praised Pradhan on his birthday, highlighting his work on the National Education Policy, underscoring the political polarisation surrounding the exam‑leak scandal.