Pralhad Joshi on Saturday was named the interim Union Education Minister after President Droupadi Murmu accepted Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, an official order stated.
"President Droupadi Murmu, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Pralhad Joshi, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Education, in addition to his existing portfolio," the order read.
Joshi, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who is a Lok Sabha member from the Dharwad constituency in Karnataka, currently holds the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy portfolios.
Joshi said he was thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for naming the interim Education Minister, saying he accepts this responsibility with a sense of duty and humility. He also said the Modi government has taken many historic decisions in the past 12 years.
"In the last four to five years, Dharmendra Pradhan also implemented the National Education Policy, and several important initiatives were undertaken. The country has made significant progress in the new education system. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, I will work to the best of my ability and fulfil my responsibilities with dedication," he said.
Earlier, he lauded Pradhan after he stepped down earlier in the day, saying the former Union Education Minister had an illustrious political career spanning decades. Joshi said Pradhan's commitment to India's development will always be remembered.
Joshi hoped that his path will cross with Pradhan again in the line of India's development.
"His tenure witnessed the successful implementation of NEP 2020 along with over 100 big and small reforms in the field of education," Joshi said on X (previously Twitter). "Placing larger interest above everything else, Shri Pradhan Ji's decision to step down does not in anyway stop in him contributing to the Nation development."
CJP calls off agitation
Following Pradhan's resignation, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called off its agitation and asked protesters to peacefully leave from Jantar Mantar. CJP's chief spokesperson Saurav Das, who held the third round of talks with the government, said the Centre has also accepted to withdraw FIRs against agitators in Delhi and BJP-ruled states.
Besides, Das, who was accompanied by Ashutosh Ranka, also said the government has agreed to provide compensation to kin of students who died by suicide.
The CJP and the government will hold another round of talks after four weeks on broader reforms in the examination system.
"The CJP declares that we withdraw the agitation in good faith and understanding that the agreed-upon terms will be executed within the agreed-upon timeline," Das said at a joint press conference with Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at the Constitution Club of India (CCI) in the national capital.
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