Dinesh Karthik praises Indian youth after Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation

Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik shared an upbeat message for India’s younger generation on Saturday, hours after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid weeks of nationwide protests over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

Although Karthik did not directly refer to political developments or the student movement, his post celebrating the “clarity, cooperation and intransigence” of young Indians came on a day when the protests reached their biggest breakthrough. Pradhan resigns after sustained public pressure.

CJP Protests: UPDATE

Karthik, one of the few prominent sports figures to speak out during the protests, praised the resilience and determination of the country’s youth in a post on X.

“At the end of the day, we are all working for a better India.

“The clarity, cooperation and tirelessness of the younger generation is something that scares me immensely. The future is bright and the next generation will take us to new heights.”

“Jai Hind.”

Earlier during the protests, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh also shared messages calling for calm and support for the students, although both maintained a largely neutral stance without taking a stand on the political demands surrounding the movement.

PRADHAN RESIGNS AFTER WEEKS OF PROTESTS

Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation as Union Education Minister on Saturday, calling it a decision taken to protect the future of students and prevent what he called “anti-national forces” from taking advantage of the protests. His resignation came just hours before the third round of talks between the Center and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), whose leaders have repeatedly insisted that his exit is a non-negotiable demand.

News of Pradhan’s resignation sparked celebrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where thousands of students protested for more than a month. The demonstrations, which began without the support of major political parties, have grown into one of the largest student movements in the country in recent years.

NEET PROTESTS SPARK NATIONAL MOVEMENT

The protests began on June 20 following the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 paper, with students demanding sweeping reforms in India’s examination system. Along with Pradhan’s resignation, protesters demanded stronger safeguards against paper leaks, greater transparency, compensation for affected applicants and accountability for those responsible.

The agitation intensified with the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on July 20, when clashes broke out after police stopped protesters trying to enter Parliament. The movement later spread to several states, while activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the campaign through an indefinite hunger strike.

Despite Pradhan’s resignation, protest leaders have made it clear that the agitation is not over. They continue to demand compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide and crack down on police officers accused of using excessive force during the July 20 protests.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

25 Jul 2026 16:34 IST