Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a great victory for students in India and a symbolic start of the education reform movement in general for the country.
In Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi said the Congress Party has always stood by students who wanted to be held accountable for examination irregularities and paper leaks. “It is a commitment of the party to the interests of students and transparency in the education system we are going to support,” she said.
#WATCH | Wayanad | On the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, "...We in the Congress Party have tried our best to support them in the strongest way possible. Rahul Gandhi has been speaking about the issue of paper… pic.twitter.com/FHvfoKE7ii
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2026
“And we in the Congress Party have tried our best to support them in the strongest way possible," she said.
Priyanka Gandhi attributed the credit for constantly raising issues related to paper leaks and examination reforms over the years to her. Rahul Gandhi's sustained push for change in this regard, she said, motivated Congress workers, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and the Indian Youth Congress to build up a nationwide movement for students' rights.
"Rahul Gandhi has been speaking about the issue of paper leaks and examination reforms for a long time. I think it has been more than two or three years that he has consistently raised this issue," she said.
She also praised his leadership: “His work was to galvanize the party’s youth organizations in the country to build up support and raise students’ voices.”
"I also want to compliment him because he raised this issue and inspired the rest of us in the party, the NSUI, and the Youth Congress not only to support the students but also to build a movement across the country for students' rights and for reform of our education system," she said.
Priyanka Gandhi said she regarded the resignation of the minister as an emotional moment and she felt young people in India had discovered the weight of their voices. For over a decade she had often felt the youth of the country would unite to fight for accountability and defend democratic principles, she said.
"I really believe this is only the beginning, but I am truly, truly happy. I was a little emotional when I got that news, because many times over the last 10 or 12 years, I've asked myself: When are our young people going to wake up?" she said.
Priyanka Gandhi also launched a blistering political attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying it has expanded its influence throughout the educational establishments. She claimed that appointments to key academic positions like vice-chancellors and senior administrative positions reflected an ideological agenda that she believes violates the country’s constitutional and democratic values.
"Look at what is being done to our country. The RSS is filling the entire education system, every position, every vice-chancellor's position. The ideology of our forefathers is being undermined. Force is being used against young people and against anyone who raises their voice in protest," she said.
She said the resignation is much more than a political change and should make students' voices heard. The national movement demanding fair examinations and accountability has shown the strength of democratic participation and peaceful public protest, Priyanka Gandhi said.
"Today, I am a very happy person because the youth of our country has spoken, and nobody will ever dare to silence their voices," she said.
Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation has reignited a debate over examination reforms, paper leak allegations and the functioning of India’s education system. Opposition parties have hailed the movement as a victory for students and public pressure on the government, while BJP leaders have said that the government is still committed to protecting students' interests and strengthening examination systems through institutional reforms.
The issue will continue to be at the heart of national political dialogue as calls for reform continue to grow in order for transparency, accountability and credibility of competition in the country to be improved.
