New Delhi, 26 July  

Newly appointed Union Minister Prahlad Joshi took charge as the Union Education Minister on Sunday, after the widespread student-led protests across the nation over the NEET paper leak.

On Saturday, Joshi was assigned the charge of the Ministry of Education after President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Council of Ministers. Pradhan's resignation was accepted with immediate effect, and Joshi will continue to hold his existing portfolio along with the Education Ministry charge.

"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution of India. Further, as advised by 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 portfolio," an official release by Rashtrapati Bhavan stated.

Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister and a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Dharwad constituency in Karnataka, is shouldering the responsibilities of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Minister of New and Renewable Energy. During his previous tenure, he was the Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

This comes after Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation, saying he had submitted it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of students and to ensure that the ongoing protests over examination irregularities were not exploited by "anti-national forces."

The resignation follows weeks of nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, with students demanding greater transparency, accountability, and reforms in the examination system.

Meanwhile, CJP announced that it has withdrawn the 37-day-long agitation at Jantar Mantar in "good faith" after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down from the Council of Ministers and the outfit received assurance on other demands from the government.