Published Jul 22, 2026 | 12:57 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 22, 2026 | 12:57 PM
Jairam Ramesh. (X)
Synopsis: Apart from the irregularities in the NEET exam, the Congress listed out failure of NTA, leading to multiple paper leaks, the OSM row during CBSE exams, the appointment of Vice Chancellors solely based on their political affiliation, and the bribery scandal in the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), as the reasons for demanding Pradhan’s resignation.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday, 22 July, took to X to criticise the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who has been at the centre of protests, for refusing to resign, and “instead continues to demonstrate his unchecked arrogance and pettiness through social media posts.”
Further calling the minister, indifferent, insensitive, incompetent, and inveterate liar, the Congress claimed that the call for his resignation is not premised on one issue but a whole host of failures and corruption that has characterised his tenure as Union Minister of Education.
Apart from the irregularities in NEET exam, the Congress listed out failure of NTA, leading to multiple paper leaks, OSM row during CBSE exams, appointment of Vice Chancellors solely based on their political affiliation, bribery scandal in the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), as the reasons for demanding Pradhan’s resignation.
Jairam Ramesh recalled the recent paper leaks, including NEET-UG and UGC-NET Sociology paper leak in 2026, and reiterated that it was due to the continuous failure of the National Testing Agency (NTA) on his watch.
“The Minister’s response has been one of arrogance and petty politics, including official denials that any paper leak took place, and a refusal to acknowledge the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education to strengthen the NTA because it has members of the Opposition in it,” he added.
Further recalling the recent row over OSM for CBSE’s Grade 12 Board Examinations, the Congress MP noted, “A company which has a known track record of failure was awarded the contract after the CBSE revised the tender three times with modifications that benefited COEMPT.”
“It took a 18-year-old CBSE student himself to bring this scandal to light. The Government appointed a one-member commission to investigate the scandal – and though the commission’s deadline of one month has passed, there is no update on what this panel has found.”
Mantri Pradhan is an indifferent, insensitive, incompetent, and inveterate liar like the Pradhan Mantri. At a time when he has disappointed the aspirations of millions of students, he refuses to resign and instead continues to demonstrate his unchecked arrogance and pettiness…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 22, 2026
Calling out the appointment of Vice Chancellors solely based on their political affiliation, Jairam Ramesh highlighted, “Students and faculty from many of India’s premier institutions – Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Allahabad University – have credibly accused their institutional leadership of corruption and a dictatorial attitude.”
“At least two Central Universities – North Eastern Hill University in Shillong and Tezpur University in Assam – have witnessed such vociferous protests against their Vice Chancellors that they have had to leave campus and operate remotely.”
He added, “These are all persons that have been handpicked by Mantri Pradhan and Pradhan Mantri to oversee the gutting of India’s higher education system.”
Claiming that there had been abundant corruption in other autonomous bodies and institutions of the Ministry, Jairam Ramesh noted, “There has been a bribery scandal in the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) which has led to the filing of a CBI chargesheet against a Professor at JNU – who was recruited by this regime’s favourite Vice Chancellor and then appointed by the very same VC to the NAAC as well.”
“The CBI has also filed a chargesheet alleging corruption against the Chancellor of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, who was also previously appointed as Chairman of the University Grants Commission by the Modi Government. The Indian Council for Historical Research has also been mired in reports of financial irregularities,” he added.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
