NEW DELHI: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who assumed charge as the Union Education Minister on Sunday, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for entrusting him with the responsibility.
In a post on X, after taking the additional charge, Joshi said: "Today, I assumed charge as the Union Minister for Education. I am grateful to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for placing his faith in me and entrusting me with this responsibility."
"I accept it with humility and a deep sense of duty," he added.
Pralhad Joshi, who currently serves as the Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, took over the additional responsibility following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan amid nationwide protests over alleged examination paper leaks.
Joshi's appointment comes at a time when the Education Ministry has been under intense public and political scrutiny due to widespread student protests demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in various competitive examinations.
The President's Secretariat confirmed Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation through an official communique issued on Saturday. According to the communique, President Droupadi Murmu, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect. The resignation was accepted under Article 75(2) of the Constitution.
The President has simultaneously assigned Pralhad Joshi the additional charge of the Ministry of Education. He will continue to oversee his existing 'Food and Consumer Affairs' portfolio while heading the Education Ministry.
Pradhan's resignation marks a significant change in the Union Cabinet, as he had been leading the Education Ministry during a period of heightened student unrest over alleged paper leaks and examination-related controversies.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Saturday ended their protest after the government accepted their demands, including Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) representatives met on Saturday following which they addressed a joint press conference.
Later, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das appealed to students to end their protests and return home, stating that the government had accepted all the key demands raised by the agitating students
