New Delhi: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday assumed additional charge of the Ministry of Education after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the post amid a month-long student agitation over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy.
The change in the Education Ministry came after President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan’s resignation with immediate effect on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and assigned the portfolio to Joshi, who will continue holding his existing charge of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
Joshi, while reacting to his appointment, said he accepted the responsibility as a duty entrusted to him and expressed confidence in continuing the government’s education reforms.
“I accept this responsibility with a sense of duty and humility,” Joshi told reporters.
Recalling the achievements of the Modi government in the education sector, Joshi said the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been a significant milestone.
“In the last 12 years of Prime Minister Modi’s government, many historical achievements have been made. In the last four-five years, Dharmendra Pradhan also executed the National Education Policy,” he said, adding that he would work to the best of his ability under the Prime Minister’s guidance.
Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Education Ministry after facing sustained pressure over allegations linked to examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy.
In his resignation statement, Pradhan said the developments of the past several days had deeply saddened him and that stepping down was not a matter of personal prestige.
He said he wanted to ensure that students’ futures were not affected by prolonged uncertainty and that no elements could exploit the situation against the country.
Pradhan’s resignation came after weeks of protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which had demanded accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
Soon after Pradhan’s resignation, the CJP announced the withdrawal of its 36-day nationwide agitation, calling it a victory for students and youth activists.
The decision followed the third round of discussions between government representatives and CJP leaders at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi.
Union ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh held talks with CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, after which the government agreed to address the remaining demands of protesters.
The government assured that compensation would be provided, within applicable rules, to the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the examination controversy. It also agreed to withdraw FIRs registered against protesters during the agitation.
“After the government accepted all our demands, we call off our protests with immediate effect,” CJP leaders announced.
The announcement triggered celebrations at the protest site in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where demonstrators raised slogans, waved the national flag and celebrated the resignation.
The movement, which began as a protest against alleged exam irregularities, gradually expanded into a broader campaign demanding accountability and reforms in the examination system.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had joined the agitation and undertaken a fast, described the development as a victory of democratic participation and peaceful protest.
With Joshi taking charge of the Education Ministry, the immediate challenge before the government will be rebuilding trust among students and strengthening transparency in competitive examinations.
The ministry has already announced measures aimed at addressing concerns over paper leaks and irregularities, including stricter action against those involved and steps to improve examination security.
The controversy had raised questions over the functioning of examination agencies and the need for stronger safeguards to protect the interests of millions of aspirants.
Joshi’s new responsibility
A senior BJP leader and multiple-term Lok Sabha member from Karnataka, Pralhad Joshi has held several key portfolios in the Union government, including Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines.
Before receiving the Education portfolio, Joshi was serving as the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
His appointment comes at a crucial time as the Education Ministry faces the task of implementing reforms, ensuring examination integrity and maintaining continuity in major initiatives such as the National Education Policy.
Rare resignation amid public pressure
Pradhan’s resignation is among the rare instances during the Modi government’s tenure where a Union minister stepped down following sustained public pressure over a controversy.
The development has also triggered political reactions, with opposition parties claiming it reflected public pressure, while the BJP defended Pradhan’s tenure and praised his contribution to education reforms.
