The Ministry of Education has a new face at the helm. A day after President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of Dharmendra PradhanBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pralhad Joshi officially took charge as the Union Education Minister on Sunday.His appointment comes at a time when the ministry is facing scrutiny over alleged exam irregularities and growing student demands for greater transparency and reforms in the exam system.Taking charge of the ministry, Joshi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for entrusting him with the responsibility.“Today I assumed charge as Union Education Minister. I am grateful to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji for reposing his faith in me and entrusting me with this responsibility,” he said in a post on X.
CJP Jantar Mantar Protest Updates
He added: “I accept it with humility and a deep sense of duty.”
The appointment follows the resignation of Pradhan
The leadership change was announced on Saturday after Rashtrapati Bhavan said President Droupadi Murmu had accepted Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation from the Union Cabinet with immediate effect.According to the official statement, Joshi has been given the charge of the Education Ministry in addition to the portfolios he already holds.“The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Cabinet, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution of India. portfolio,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said.Joshi will continue to serve as Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy. He is also a Member of Parliament of Lok Sabha from Dharwad constituency of Karnataka. In the previous government he was in charge of the ministries of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs.
The change in leadership comes after weeks of protests
The reshuffle comes after Dharmendra Pradhan quit the cabinet after weeks of protests over alleged examination irregularities.While announcing his resignation, Pradhan said he had submitted it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of the students and to ensure that the ongoing protests were not misused by “anti-national forces”.The protests had brought students to the streets in various parts of the country, with demands for accountability, greater transparency and reforms in the conduct of examinations.
CJP withdraws Jantar Mantar protest
The change in leadership was followed by a key development at the protest site in Delhi.The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which had been leading a sit-in at Jantar Mantar for 37 days, announced it was withdrawing its agitation “in good faith” after Pradhan resigned from the Cabinet.The group said it had also received assurances from the government on its other demands.Although the protest is over for now, many of the issues raised by the students, such as exam reform and restoring confidence in the system, remain before the Ministry of Education.(with input from the agency)