Biju Janata Dal president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over allegations linked to the NEET examination paper leak and proposed examination reforms. The demand is politically significant because it connects examination credibility, ministerial accountability, and student trust in a single controversy.
Patnaik said the situation was "very serious" and alleged that several students were violently attacked during Monday’s protest in Delhi. The incident keeps the focus on the larger question of how the Union government handles exam-related grievances, protest policing, and public confidence in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) process.
Background and earlier position
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is the key entrance examination for medical education in India. Allegations of paper leaks and irregularities in large-scale competitive examinations have repeatedly triggered public concern because they affect merit, fairness, and institutional credibility.
The current dispute also touches examination reform. Any reform proposal in a high-stakes test such as NEET is expected to strengthen security, transparency, and grievance redressal rather than deepen distrust among students and parents.
Why this matters for UPSC
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