Dharmendra Pradhan offered to resign from the post of Education Minister twice, but the government did not accept it.

Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency: Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the post of Education Minister on Saturday. It is now known that he had offered to resign twice during the student protests over the leak of NEET exam question papers. But the government rejected that offer and decided to focus on structural problems and education reforms, according to sources. Dharmendra Pradhan offered to resign again in a meeting of senior ministers on July 20. His offer of resignation was rejected that time too and the leadership directed him to continue the work of reforms in the education sector. According to government sources, the leadership was of the opinion that "the resignation of a minister is the easiest way out. It is tantamount to abdicating responsibility. The Modi government believes in solving problems instead of running away from them."
According to sources, the government's view changed after the second round of talks with the 'Cockroach Janata Party' (CJP). The students had threatened to hold another big march on the lines of the 'Chalo Sangsad' protest on July 20. The government was already concerned after several students were injured in police action during the July 20 protest. Security agencies had also issued reports warning that anti-national forces were trying to take advantage of the volatile situation. Sources said that digital surveillance has identified over 400 social media accounts - including around 100 Instagram accounts allegedly operated from Pakistan - that were actively spreading the students' protest. Initial analysis has shown that several of these accounts were active during 'Operation Sindoor' in the past and were involved in spreading anti-India narratives, misinformation and propaganda targeting Indian security forces. In addition, the Delhi Police's 'facial recognition system' has identified around 400 people with criminal records in and around the Jantar Mantar protest site between July 20 and July 24. Some of the suspects have also been linked to the July 20 vandalism, sources said. 

According to sources, before final discussions with the CJP, the government decided that national interest and maintaining public order should be given priority. To defuse tension in the Jantar Mantar area and prevent the spread of protests, Dharmendra Pradhan decided to resign and eventually President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation. Hours later, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi was given the additional charge of the Education Ministry.
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