Pralhad Joshi gets additional charge of Education Ministry after Dharmendra Pradhan resigns

New Delhi, Jul 26: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been assigned the additional charge of the Ministry of Education after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the post on Saturday.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said that President Droupadi Murmu, on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has accepted Pradhan’s resignation with immediate effect.

It said the President has directed that Joshi, who is currently serving as Cabinet Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New and Renewable Energy, be assigned the charge of the Education Ministry in addition to his existing responsibilities.

Speaking after his appointment, Joshi said he accepted the responsibility with a sense of duty and humility.

“I have just got to know that the Prime Minister has given me a responsibility. I accept this responsibility with a sense of duty and humility,” he told reporters.

Joshi said several achievements have been made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over the last 12 years, adding that former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had implemented the National Education Policy during the past four-five years.

“Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, I will try to perform to the best of my capacity,” he added.

Pradhan’s resignation came amid nationwide student protests over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy, with demonstrators demanding his removal from the post.

Pradhan had said that the issue was not a matter of “individual prestige” for him and expressed concern over the developments that had unfolded in the last 10 days. (PTI)