India
oi-Prakash KL
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation on Saturday following weeks of mounting pressure over irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, a decision that comes amid sustained protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party and backed by opposition parties.
Pradhan, who took over as Education Minister in June 2024 after holding key portfolios including Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development, announced his decision through a detailed social media post addressed to the nation’s youth.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned Saturday amid NEET-UG exam irregularities, accepting responsibility. His family’s election affidavits stated a combined net worth of approximately ₹6.38 crore, including movable and immovable assets.
In his resignation letter, the minister accepted responsibility for the examination irregularities that came to light after the NEET-UG was conducted on May 3. The government subsequently cancelled the exam, handed over investigations to the CBI, and conducted a re-examination on June 21.
“For over four decades, I have been dedicated to students, teachers, and education reform,” Pradhan wrote, adding that the events of the past ten days had deeply grieved him. He stated that his decision was not about personal prestige but about ensuring that “anti-national forces” do not exploit the situation and that students’ futures remain protected.
How Rich Is Dharmendra Pradhan?
According to election affidavits filed by Pradhan, the combined net worth of his family stands at approximately ₹6.38 crore.
His spouse, Mridula Thakur Pradhan, holds assets worth ₹4.12 crore. Her holdings include movable assets valued at ₹2.95 crore and immovable assets worth ₹1.37 crore, against liabilities of ₹20 lakh.
Property Portfolio:
The Pradhan family’s real estate holdings include agricultural land worth ₹12 lakh and non-agricultural land valued at ₹20.50 lakh in Odisha. They also own residential properties worth approximately ₹1.98 crore, including an apartment in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, and another in Bhubaneswar.
Educational Background
The outgoing minister completed his Master of Arts in Anthropology from Utkal University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in 1990.
