Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has taken additional charge of the Ministry of Education after President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. The decision was made on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi under Article 75(2) of the Constitution.
Pradhan resigned amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak. He said his decision was taken in the interest of students. He also stated that the issue should not be used by anti-national elements.
Pralhad Joshi will continue to handle his current ministries of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy. He is also the Member of Parliament from Dharwad, Karnataka, and serves as the President of the International Solar Alliance.
The resignation came after weeks of student protests demanding a fair and transparent examination system. It also followed discussions between the Centre and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which had made Pradhan’s resignation its main demand.
After the third round of talks, the CJP announced the end of its 37-day protest at Jantar Mantar. The group said it trusted the government’s assurances and hoped for quick reforms.Additionally, it threatened to send students back to protest if their issues weren’t addressed.