The year was 1997 and Dharmendra Pradhan was leading around 1,500 students in a protest against the then Congress government. According to reports, he was not only beaten by police, but he also suffered multiple fractures. However, he continued campaigning against an alleged paper leak, undeterred.
Today, as demands of his resignation as the Union Education Minister over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak intensify, a nearly three-decade-old episode from his student activist days is making rounds on social media.
What happened in 1997?
As per a 2021 report by The New Indian Express, Pradhan, then National Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and a student at Utkal University, led around 1,500 students in a protest outside the Odisha Secretariat over an alleged paper leak.
The incident is said to have strengthened Pradhan’s reputation as a prominent student leader. He served as ABVP National Secretary twice between 1994 and 1997 and remained actively involved in student politics before transitioning into the BJP.
The Tribune cannot independently verify the incident with records
In 1997, this man was the ABVP National Secretary and was just about to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. There was a paper leak in Odisha and there was a major protest. This man participated in them. He was beaten by the police.
“We staged a protest against the Odisha… pic.twitter.com/U8UojIQ9BF
— Mohak Mangal (@mohakmangal) July 22, 2026
The resurfaced account has sparked mixed reactions online. While supporters have praised Pradhan’s activism and resilience during the 1997 agitation, critics have questioned why paper leaks continue to plague the education system during his tenure as Union Education Minister.
Ever since Pradhan took charge of the Education Ministry in 2021, he has faced scrutiny over several issues, including examination paper leaks.
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