Govt should state clearly whether Dharmendra Pradhan will resign or not: CJP

Speaking to reporters, CJP activist Ashutosh Ranka noted that his meeting with Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh was fruitful.

He added that once the government clarifies its stance on Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, the CJP will decide its future strategy.

"Yesterday's meeting yielded a positive response regarding compensation and legal matters, reaching an in-principle agreement. We hope to receive that written agreement today. However, no concrete decision has been made regarding our main demand--Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Mainstream media reports suggest sources are saying Pradhan will not step down. If he does not resign, the government should state it clearly, as there is no point in continuing these meetings. We will then decide on our next steps... If the government continues this approach, we will be forced to take a tough stance," Ranka said.

Reacting to the Ministry of Education's recent action against 47 National Testing Agency (NTA) officials, Ranka asserted that ultimate accountability still lies with the Education Minister.

"We will examine the details, but ultimate accountability lies with the Education Minister, who is directly responsible for the paper leaks and the resulting student suicides. He must resign. While we continue to discuss broader reforms and submitted a charter of demands to the government yesterday, his resignation remains key," he added.

On Friday, the National Testing Agency (NTA), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education, issued advertisements this week for a set of senior professional appointments at the level of General Manager and has separately opened the engagement of sixteen Young Professionals through the Pratibha Setu portal of the Union Public Service Commission.

According to a press release, these measures represent the first concrete step in the institutional rebuild of NTA that is being implemented in line with the recommendations of the High-Level Committee of Experts chaired by Prof K Radhakrishnan.

The Union Cabinet also approved amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to strengthen the anti-paper leak law amid continuing nationwide protests over the NEET-UG row, while the deadlock in Parliament continued for the fifth day. According to sources, the proposed amendment Bill is likely to be tabled in Parliament on Monday, July 27.

This development follows a late-night video message on X by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who promised that "stricter" action would be taken against paper leaks as protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party continue over the NEET-UG paper leak. In the video, the Prime Minister announced that the Union Cabinet would take up a draft Bill.

Social activist Sonam Wangchuk has also ended his 26-day hunger strike at Medanta Hospital in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh after receiving a written assurance from the Union Government regarding the NEET examination issue and systemic reforms in the country's competitive testing framework. (ANI)