Pralhad Joshi given additional charge of India's Education Ministry

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been given additional charge of India's Ministry of Education following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan amid weeks of protests over alleged examination paper leaks.

The appointment was confirmed in a communiqué issued by the President's Office on Saturday after Pradhan's resignation was formally accepted.

Joshi, who currently serves as the Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, will now oversee the Education Ministry in addition to his existing responsibilities.

Pradhan stepped down on the 35th day of protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where demonstrators had been demanding accountability over the alleged examination paper leaks. In his resignation letter, the 57-year-old leader said he had decided to resign to prevent "anti-national forces" from exploiting the situation.

He also said he had devoted more than four decades to the welfare of students, teachers and educational reforms, describing a strong and inclusive education system as the foundation of a strong nation.

Hours after his resignation, representatives of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which had been leading the protest, announced the withdrawal of the agitation following a meeting with a government delegation.

At a joint press conference with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka said the protest was being called off "in good faith" after the government assured them that their demands would be addressed.

The resignation of Pradhan had been one of the key demands of the movement, which was launched by Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University graduate who recently returned to India to lead the campaign against alleged examination paper leaks.

A day before Pradhan's resignation, Joshi had reaffirmed the government's commitment to safeguarding students' interests and strengthening the country's education system. While recognising students' right to peaceful protest, he alleged that "anti-social elements" were attempting to exploit the movement.

He said the Modi government remained committed to taking strict action against any irregularities affecting students' futures and urged protesters to ensure that their movement was not hijacked by vested interests.

source: NDTV

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