Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik is speaking. | Photo credit: ANI
Biju Janata Dal president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid growing pressure on the Narendra Modi government from opposition parties over NEET paper leaks and exam reforms.
“I was asked whether the Union education minister should resign. Many opposition parties are demanding his resignation. I think he should resign,” Mr. Patnaik said, naming Mr. Pradhan for the first time since the controversy erupted.
Calling the situation “very serious” and “very serious”, he said several students were brutally attacked and injured. The protests were not limited to Delhi, they spread to several Indian cities and even before Indian embassies outside the country, the BJD president noted.
After discussing the issue with Rajya Sabha MPs in New Delhi, the veteran politician made a statement and asked BJD MPs to raise the issue in Parliament.
In a lengthy post in Sunday’s X, Mr. Patnaik said, “A nation that compromises the integrity of its examination system is jeopardizing its own future. This serious issue affecting millions of students across the country must be addressed in Parliament as a top priority.”
“India has also made remarkable progress through the strength of its education system. It has produced generations of brilliant doctors, scientists, engineers, teachers and innovators who have shaped modern India. However, today, trust in that system has been undermined. The damage goes far beyond exam failure,” he said.
“Politics aside, I urge the government to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the students who have been protesting peacefully for several days. They should be given a platform to express their views. A vibrant democracy develops through dialogue and not silence, and this dialogue is most important when the youth of the nation participates in it,” Mr. Patnaik said.
Published – July 22, 2026 05:00 EST.