# Dharmendra Pradhan says Gen Z misled in NEET row 2026-08-09T10:07:14+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, speaking for the first time since resigning in July, said some people tried to mislead Gen Z students during protests over the NEET-UG paper leak. Addressing events in Sambalpur and Rairakhol on Saturday, he said he approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept the protesters' demands and that his post was never a matter of personal prestige. Pradhan described the nation's young people as a force that cannot be ignored and warned that their resolve outweighs any minister's importance. He also defended his 12-year record as a Union minister, asserting he had never brought shame to Odisha. The CBI is investigating the May 3 NEET-UG exam irregularities. The test was cancelled and a re-exam held on June 21. Pradhan resigned citing a need to prevent 'anti-national forces' from exploiting the agitation. ## Coverage - thenewsminute.com - assamtribune.com Tags: BJP, Dharmendra Pradhan, Education Ministry, NEET paper leak, Odisha politics, student protests Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/dharmendra-pradhan-says-gen-z-was-misled-in-neet-protests/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/dharmendra-pradhan-says-gen-z-was-misled-in-neet-protests/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.