Manzoor Ahmed Naik
Following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been tasked with overseeing the Ministry of Education alongside his current duties. The official announcement came via a government press release after the President accepted Pradhan’s resignation on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Pradhan’s exit follows widespread demonstrations organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) regarding leaks in the NEET exam papers.
A veteran lawmaker, the 64-year-old Joshi has served as the Member of Parliament for Karnataka’s Dharwad constituency since 2004. His previous cabinet experience includes leading the Ministries of Coal, Mines, and Parliamentary Affairs from 2019 to 2024.
According to a statement from Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President formally accepted Pradhan’s immediate withdrawal from the Union Council of Ministers pursuant to Article 75, Clause (2) of the Indian Constitution.
Reflecting on his predecessor’s tenure, Joshi noted that Pradhan oversaw the rollout of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 alongside more than a hundred educational reforms. He commended Pradhan for putting the greater good first, adding that while he is stepping down, his contributions to the country will continue and their efforts for national development will cross paths again.
Sources indicate that Joshi was visiting his constituency when he received news of his new appointment to the Education Ministry. Having attended Friday’s Cabinet meeting in New Delhi, he had flown to Karnataka and was originally scheduled to stay until Sunday. However, while attending local events on Saturday, he received an urgent call from the capital, prompting him to board an evening flight from Hubballi and return to Delhi late that night.
