‘Major dent in govt’s stubbornness’: Opposition hails ‘youth victory’ after Pradhan’s exit

Opposition leaders across parties came out in force on Saturday (July 25) to welcome Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak row, calling it a hard-won victory for the 28-day student-led protest at Jantar Mantar spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party.

From the Congress to the AAP, NCP (SP), Samajwadi Party and RJD, leaders framed the resignation as proof that sustained youth pressure had finally forced the government's hand, even as several vowed the fight for broader accountability was far from over.

Pending demands

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation "a huge step towards reshaping" India's education system, congratulating students across the country for standing firm to protect "democracy, the Constitution, and their future."

He said two demands remained outstanding: an apology from the Prime Minister acknowledging the students and India's future, and action against those responsible for violence against protesters.

Rahul went further, extending the moment beyond the NEET protests to other groups he said had been suppressed by the government, including farmers, laborers and the poor, urging them to find courage in standing firm "in a constitutional manner" for their dignity. "The time has come to remove this government," he said, urging people not to be afraid.

'Win for generation'

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh was among the sharpest critics, describing Pradhan as "incompetent, callous, and arrogant" and saying sustained pressure from young protesters had finally forced the Prime Minister to withdraw his political backing for the minister. Ramesh called the resignation a win for a generation "exhausted by a corrupt system" and credited the unity between opposition parties and students for the outcome.

Also read: ‘Students come first’: Read Dharmendra Pradhan’s full ‘resignation letter’ posted on X

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor struck a similar note, saying on X that the resignation was proof "accountability in a democracy cannot be indefinitely evaded." He said it came after weeks of "determined, peaceful voices" from students, parents and citizens, and told protesters the moment marked "the beginning of reform, not the end of the story."

RJD MP Manoj Jha called the resignation "the first major dent" in what he described as the ruling cabinet's stubbornness, saying it marked only the beginning of a larger reckoning.

He praised the protesting students for exposing a "compromised" examination system and called for a more transparent, accountable mechanism going forward.

Hail youth power

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, who visited the protest site during the agitation, called the resignation "a major victory for the unity of youth power and democracy," pointing to the 28 consecutive days protesters had held their ground at Jantar Mantar. He thanked opposition MPs for backing the students with moral and parliamentary support.

Also read: CJP founder Dipke hails Pradhan's resignation: 'Don't mess with cockroaches'

In Kerala, state Labour Minister Bindhu Krishna said the Centre had "bowed before the anger of the youth," and linked the resignation to justice for the families of 20 young people who died during the agitation, calling on the government to compensate the bereaved.

AAP's Arvind Kejriwal termed the resignation a "big win for democracy," while party colleague Sanjay Singh said the campaign that began over paper leaks would now expand to demands around employment and broader accountability. Fellow AAP leader Gopal Rai was more blunt: "The movement won, arrogance lost."

Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad said the resignation showed that "whenever the youth had taken a cause in their hands, they have always won," and urged supporters to gather in Bandra to mark the moment, framing the protest as a fight to protect both the education system and the Constitution.

'Fight to continue'

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the episode proved the strength of an "organic, non-partisan" youth movement that had forced even the ruling BJP to concede, and called for the outcome to pave the way toward leak-free examinations and clearer employment pathways.

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the Congress would continue protesting until all student concerns were resolved, aiming for the Centre's handling of the crisis. Referring to Prime Minister Modi's outreach, including video messages and a team sent to meet Sonam Wangchuk and CJP leaders, Shivakumar said, "They are unable to bear the embarrassment. The Prime Minister has finally opened his eyes."

The resignation caps a turbulent stretch that saw sustained protests at Jantar Mantar, Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike in solidarity with the CJP, and mounting political pressure on the government over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and CBSE's on-screen marking irregularities.