Prahlad Joshi Appointed India's New Education Minister After Dharmendra Pradhan's Resignation

India has appointed Prahlad Joshi as its new Education Minister, just hours after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the post following weeks of nationwide protests over examination paper leaks.

According to Indian media reports, President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan's resignation on Saturday on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The president also approved the appointment of Prahlad Joshi, who will assume responsibility for the Ministry of Education while continuing to oversee his existing ministerial portfolios.

In an official statement, Rashtrapati Bhavan said the president had accepted Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation from the Union Council of Ministers and assigned the Education Ministry to Prahlad Joshi in addition to his current responsibilities.
 

Prahlad Joshi, a Member of Parliament from Karnataka, currently serves as the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, as well as the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. He is regarded as one of the senior leaders in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet.
 

The ministerial reshuffle follows sustained nationwide protests led primarily by students demanding accountability over a series of examination paper leak scandals. Demonstrators had been calling for Pradhan's resignation for nearly two months, arguing that repeated irregularities had undermined confidence in India's education system.
 

The protests intensified earlier this week after clashes between demonstrators and security forces in New Delhi. Student groups alleged that police used force to prevent marchers from approaching Parliament, prompting wider demonstrations across several Indian states.

Despite repeated public appeals by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and government assurances that stronger measures would be introduced to prevent future examination fraud, protesters continued to press their demands, insisting that ministerial accountability was necessary.

Pradhan's resignation marked the government's first major political concession since the movement began. Shortly afterward, the administration moved quickly to appoint Prahlad Joshi to ensure continuity in the functioning of the Education Ministry.

The new education minister is expected to oversee efforts to restore confidence in India's examination system, implement reforms aimed at preventing future paper leaks, and address growing concerns among students over transparency and fairness in public examinations.