Who is Pralhad Joshi? Meet India's new Education Minister
ADVERTISEMENT
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been given additional charge of the Ministry of Education, hours after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following protests over the NEET paper leak led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
Joshi, who currently oversees the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, will continue to hold his existing portfolios while taking charge of the Ministry of Education.
In a statement, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, "The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution of India."
The statement added, "Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Pralhad Joshi, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Education, in addition to his existing portfolio."
A veteran BJP leader from Karnataka, the 64-year-old Joshi has represented the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency continuously since 2004. Between 2019 and 2024, he served as the Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs before taking charge of his current ministries in the third Narendra Modi government.
According to his official parliamentary profile, Joshi completed his schooling in Hubballi and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kadasiddeshwar Arts College, affiliated with Karnataka University, Dharwad, in 1983.
Born on November 27, 1962, in Karnataka, Joshi entered the Lok Sabha after winning the Dharwad seat in the 2004 general election. He has retained the constituency in every subsequent election, making him one of the BJP's longest-serving Members of Parliament from the state.
Over the years, he has earned a reputation within the party as an experienced administrator entrusted with several key ministerial responsibilities.
Earlier in the day, Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid mounting protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. In a post on X, Pradhan said he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the recent developments surrounding the examination as a source of "deep anguish."
Hours after the Union Education Minister resigned, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced the immediate withdrawal of its nationwide agitation, saying the Centre had agreed to its key demands following talks with a government delegation.
The announcement was made at a joint press conference attended by Union Minister J.P. Nadda, Minister of State Jitendra Singh, and CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.