Overview
- The Cockroach Janta Party led a sit‑in at Jantar Mantar for more than a month demanding Pradhan’s removal over the alleged NEET‑UG 2026 paper leak, and negotiators gave the government a reported 72‑hour ultimatum before his resignation on Saturday.
- Pradhan said he took moral responsibility in a letter posted on X and urged that the situation not be exploited by anti‑national forces, while the government has initiated a CBI probe and approved disciplinary action that removed 47 NTA officials.
- Following the resignation, CJP celebrated and paused its protest but insisted two non‑negotiable demands remain: Rs 1 crore compensation for families of students who died by suicide linked to the controversy and punitive action against police accused of brutality during the July 20 Parliament march.
- The Centre has offered assurances in resumed talks that protesters will not face FIRs and that bereaved families will receive the maximum compensation available under rules, and it plans tougher penalties for paper leaks through a pending amendment bill.
- NEET‑UG is the nationwide medical entrance exam taken by over two million applicants and run by the National Testing Agency, so the crisis has raised questions about testing oversight, contractual versus permanent NTA staff, the speed of criminal probes and whether structural reforms will restore public trust.