Guwahati: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been assigned additional charge of the Ministry of Education after the President’s office accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, who stepped down amid nationwide protests over examination paper leaks.
The appointment was announced through an official communiqué from the President’s Office on Saturday. Joshi, who currently heads the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, will now also oversee the Ministry of Education.
Pradhan resigned on the 35th day of the ongoing protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. In his resignation letter, the 57-year-old said he had decided to step down to prevent “anti-national forces” from taking advantage of the situation.
Reflecting on his tenure, Pradhan said he had devoted more than four decades to the cause of education and believed that a strong, inclusive and forward-looking education system was essential for nation-building.
Soon after his resignation, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) announced that it was ending its agitation. Addressing a joint press conference alongside Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka said the protest was being withdrawn “in good faith” after the Centre assured the organisation that its demands would be addressed.
The demand for Pradhan’s resignation had been at the centre of the CJP-led movement, which was launched by Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University graduate who returned to India to spearhead the campaign against alleged examination paper leaks.
A day before being entrusted with the additional portfolio, Joshi had reiterated the Centre’s commitment to protecting students’ interests while cautioning against attempts by “anti-social elements” to exploit the protests.
He said the Modi government remained determined to safeguard the future of students by taking strict action against any irregularities affecting examinations.
While acknowledging that students have the democratic right to protest peacefully, Joshi had urged participants to remain vigilant and ensure that their movement was not misused by vested interests.