Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, July 25

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been assigned additional charge of India’s Education Ministry following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, who stepped down on Saturday amid nationwide student protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and the NEET paper leak controversy.

President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan’s resignation with immediate effect on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Joshi, a Cabinet minister who currently heads the Consumer Affairs Ministry, will retain his existing portfolio while taking charge of the Education Ministry, the statement said.

“On the advice of the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Shri Pralhad Joshi, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Education, in addition to his existing duties,” the communique said.

The appointment came within hours of Pradhan’s resignation, which followed a prolonged student-led agitation demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak.

Pradhan said in his resignation statement that the developments of the previous 10 days had deeply saddened him, while insisting that the issue was not one of “individual prestige”.

His departure came as the government reached an agreement with the protesters to end a 36-day agitation after accepting their remaining demands, including compensation for families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET controversy and withdrawal of criminal cases registered against demonstrators.

The resignation represents a significant change at the helm of the ministry responsible for India’s education policy and examination system, at a time when concerns over the credibility and security of major entrance examinations have become a politically sensitive issue.

The government has moved in recent days to address some of those concerns, announcing measures including a proposed law prescribing stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks and plans to establish fast-track courts for quicker trials.

Joshi’s immediate task will be to oversee the ministry as the government seeks to restore confidence in the examination system and implement measures aimed at preventing leaks and irregularities.

The leadership change also comes against the backdrop of growing political scrutiny of the government’s handling of student protests. The agitation, initially centred on examination irregularities, expanded into a broader youth movement after weeks of demonstrations and negotiations between organisers and the government.

With Pradhan’s resignation and the appointment of Joshi, the government has moved swiftly to ensure continuity in the functioning of the Education Ministry while attempting to draw a line under one of the most sustained student protests of its current tenure.