Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik shared an optimistic message for India’s younger generation on Saturday, hours after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid weeks of nationwide protests over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
Although Karthik did not directly reference the political developments or the student movement, his post celebrating the “clarity, collaboration and relentlessness” of young Indians came on a day when the protests achieved their biggest breakthrough, with Pradhan stepping down following sustained public pressure.
CJP Protests: UPDATES
Karthik, one of the few prominent sporting personalities to comment during the protests, praised the resilience and determination of the country’s youth in a post on X.
“At the end of the day, we’re all working towards a better India.
“The clarity, collaboration and relentlessness of the younger generation is something that I’m extremely in awe of. The future is bright and the next generation is going to take us to new heights.
“Jai Hind.”
Earlier in the protests, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh had also shared messages urging calm and backing students, although both maintained a largely neutral stance without taking a position on the political demands surrounding the movement.
PRADHAN RESIGNS AFTER WEEKS OF PROTESTS
Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation as Union Education Minister on Saturday, describing it as a decision taken to protect students’ future and prevent what he called “anti-national forces” from taking advantage of the protests. His resignation came just hours before the third round of talks between the Centre and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), whose leaders had repeatedly insisted that his exit was a non-negotiable demand.
News of Pradhan’s resignation sparked celebrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where thousands of students had been protesting for over a month. The demonstrations, which began without the backing of major political parties, grew into one of the country’s biggest student-led movements in recent years.
NEET PROTESTS SPARK NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT
The protests began on June 20 following the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, with students demanding sweeping reforms to India’s examination system. Along with Pradhan’s resignation, protesters called for stronger safeguards against paper leaks, greater transparency, compensation for affected aspirants and accountability for those responsible.
The agitation intensified with the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on July 20, when clashes broke out after police stopped demonstrators attempting to reach Parliament. The movement later spread across several states, while activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the campaign through an indefinite hunger strike.
Despite Pradhan’s resignation, protest leaders have made it clear that the agitation is not over. They continue to demand Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide and action against police officers accused of using excessive force during the July 20 protests.
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