Pralhad Joshi takes charge as Union education minister

NEW DELHI: Pralhad Joshi on Sunday took charge as Union education minister. This came a day after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the role amid student protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and nationwide.Earlier, Pradhan shared his resignation letter on X, addressing it to his “young friends”. He said he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in view of the situation that had unfolded across the country.The CJP-led protest was later called off after a delegation of the group held talks with Union ministers Jagat Prakash Nadda and Jitendra Singh, with both sides reaching a mutual understanding on the protesters’ key demands.

Born on November 27, 1962, in Bijapur, Karnataka, Pralhad Joshi completed his schooling in Hubballi. He attended Railway School for his primary education and later studied at New English School before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in arts from Shri Kadasiddheshwar Arts College, Hubballi.Before joining politics full-time, Joshi was associated with business. He later emerged as a prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Karnataka and has represented the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency since 2004, winning five consecutive terms in Parliament.Over the years, Joshi has held several key organisational and ministerial positions. Between 2019 and 2024, he served as the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines. Following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he was entrusted with the portfolios of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy.As Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Joshi has overseen several flagship government initiatives, including the National Green Hydrogen Mission, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, PM-KUSUM, and programmes aimed at expanding India’s renewable energy capacity.