- Union Minister Pralhad Joshi assumes charge of the Ministry of Education after Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, pledging to review key priorities and strengthen reforms in the country’s education system.
Pralhad Joshi, the Union Minister, formally takes over the charge of being the Union Education Minister after the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, thus creating an important shift in leadership within the Ministry of Education. Joshi is now additionally holding onto his responsibilities in the portfolios of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy.
Having taken over as minister, Joshi thanks the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, for placing trust in him and accepting the new position with modesty. Admitting that education sector is completely new to him, he says that he will conduct a thorough assessment of the existing programs and objectives of the ministry before working out the future plans. It is also assured that the government is committed to improving the Indian education ecosystem by implementing the right policies.
This leadership change has come after Dharmendra Pradhan quit his post, which has happened due to student agitation over the irregularities in the competitive exams, including leaks of the papers. After his resignation, the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), who were agitating at Jantar Mantar, declares that they will not protest anymore because the Centre has taken remedial steps.
The change also takes place amidst the Union government’s attempts to restore faith in India’s examination process. Prior to the change of ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets up a task force headed by Infosys cofounder Nandan Nilekani with the mandate of recommending reforms using technology. The task force is expected to provide recommendations on reforms that will improve the efficiency of the examination process through technology.
As per the educationists, the new Minister would have to tackle the problem of conducting examinations reform, improving the accountability of institutions, and implementing NEP 2020 smoothly. With Joshi taking over as the Minister of Education, efforts will be concentrated towards restoring the trust of citizens in the exam system and also working on improving the quality and innovations in the education system of India. With some policies already in motion within the Ministry, transparency and student-focused reforms are going to be at the top of the agenda.
