LoP Rahul Gandhi along with AISA members who participated in hunger strike at Jantar Mantar along with CJP.
| Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Opposition parties on Saturday (July 25, 2026) termed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following widespread student protests over the NEET paper leak, a “victory for the youth” and a step towards rebuilding the country’s education system.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi urged other groups to show courage like the students and stand up against the government. “It is time to remove the government,” he said.
“Symbolic but big step”
He said Mr. Pradhan’s resignation was a significant step towards rebuilding the education system. “It’s a symbolic step because he was a symbol, but it is still a big step,” he said.
The Congress leader also said the resignation is a signal to other communities, including farmers, labourers, and the poor, who are allegedly being oppressed by the government. “There is wisdom and courage in standing up. “Daro mat [don’t be afraid]. Let’s get rid of this regime that is attacking India, destroying our Constitution and capturing all our institutions,” Mr. Gandhi said in a video message posted on X and later, while speaking to the media.
Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said this was the day when the people started “claiming their country back”. “The youth did not bend; the government had to bend. It is a victory for the youth and students of India. I was truly happy when I heard the news. I even got a bit emotional,” she told the media in her constituency. “This is the day when the people of our country have started claiming the country back. This is a victory for the youth of India. They have done it in the way Mahatma Gandhi had taught us.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described Mr. Pradhan’s resignation as a defeat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “stubbornness”. He added that the PM should apologise and take strict action against all those who used force against the agitating students.
Congress General Secretary (organisation) K. C. Venugopal said the Opposition had been spearheading the protest in a united fashion, while party general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh said the Opposition had demonstrated “rock-solid unity and solidarity” with the students.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the resignation was a major victory for the new generation. “The government had to bow down,” he said.
Education reforms sought
Speaking to the media in Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Yadav said the movement had underlined the need for serious reforms in the education sector, from primary schooling to higher education.
Aam Aadmi Party supremo and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Mr. Pradhan’s resignation was a “big win for democracy”.
The Left parties also welcomed the resignation and demanded a comprehensive reform in the education sector.
CPI General Secretary D Raja said the resignation was a rare moment of democratic accountability. “It is a rare moment of democratic accountability, achieved not through the goodwill of an arrogant government, but through the sustained struggle of students and youth across the country. The students’ movement has defeated the arrogance of the BJP and compelled the Modi-Shah regime to answer for its failures,” he said.
CPI(M) congratulated the students who were part of the protest and demanded, in a post on X, a comprehensive reform in the education sector, including the scrapping of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the rollback of the National Education Policy (NEP).
“(Mr Pradhan’s) resignation is only the first step. Now the NTA has to be disbanded, and the anti-student, commercial and communal NEP 2020 has to be rolled back. Cases foisted on the protesters have to be dropped, and action has to be taken against all police personnel who brutally attacked our students,” CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby said.
Deepankar Bhattacharya of the CPI(ML) said the resignation was “the only sensible thing” Mr. Pradhan had done. “The only sensible thing you have ever done, even though you have not shown the minimum courage and honesty to admit that your resignation has been ordered by the youth of India,” he said.
Published – July 25, 2026 10:34 pm IST
