Former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has returned to the spotlight following his resignation amid the nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy. A senior BJP leader from Odisha, Pradhan has held several key portfolios in the Narendra Modi government, including Petroleum and Natural Gas, Steel, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and most recently, Education.
Education
Born on June 26, 1969, in Talcher, Odisha, Pradhan completed his post-graduation (M.A.) in Anthropology from Utkal University. He began his political journey through the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and later rose through the ranks of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Net worth
According to his 2024 Lok Sabha election affidavit, Dharmendra Pradhan has declared personal assets worth ₹1.99 crore, including ₹1.39 crore in movable assets and ₹92 lakh in immovable assets. He has liabilities of around ₹32 lakh.
His wife, Mridula Thakur Pradhan, has declared assets worth ₹4.12 crore, while their children, Naimisha and Nishant Pradhan, have assets worth ₹25 lakh and ₹1.62 lakh, respectively.
Political career
Pradhan entered active politics through student activism before being elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 2000. He later served as a Lok Sabha MP from Deogarh and as a Rajya Sabha member representing Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. In 2024, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Sambalpur, Odisha.
Over the years, he has handled several important Union ministries, including Petroleum and Natural Gas, Steel, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, before taking charge as the Union Education Minister in 2021.
Criminal cases
Dharmendra Pradhan has five pending criminal cases, according to his election affidavit. These include allegations under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including one related to promoting enmity between groups. The cases remain pending before the courts, and no conviction has been recorded.
Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister after weeks of nationwide protests over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy. In his resignation statement, he said the decision was taken to uphold accountability, protect students' interests and prevent anti-national forces from exploiting the situation.
