New Delhi, July 26, 2026
In a significant cabinet reshuffle, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been handed the additional charge of the Ministry of Education following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan .
The development comes after days of intense student protests in the heart of New Delhi, demanding Pradhan’s resignation over repeated examination paper leaks in recent years . The protests escalated following the leak of this year’s medical entrance examination paper, which had to be re-conducted last month . In a social media post, Pradhan announced he had submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister and appealed to students to focus on their studies and careers .
Dharmendra Pradhan, who built his political career over four decades and played a key role in expanding the BJP’s presence in Odisha, had a tenure marked by both achievements and controversies . As Education Minister, he actively defended the National Education Policy and promoted mother-tongue and multilingual education . However, his tenure also faced scrutiny over recurring exam paper leak allegations, the handling of the National Testing Agency, and the contentious three-language formula row with Tamil Nadu .
Pralhad Joshi, who will continue to hold his existing portfolios, has been assigned the education portfolio following a government press release . The President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, accepted Pradhan’s resignation from the Union Council of Ministers .
The education sector has been a key focus area for the government, with the Union Budget 2026-27 allocating ₹1,39,289.48 crore to the Ministry of Education, marking an 8.27 percent increase over the previous year . The budget includes initiatives such as establishing five University Townships, one girls’ hostel in every district to promote STEM education, and integrating AI into school curricula . How the new minister will address both the ongoing protests and implement these ambitious reforms remains to be seen.