Who is India’s new education minister Pralhad Joshi?

India has appointed Pralhad Joshi as its new education minister, replacing Dharmendra Pradhan whose departure followed weeks of youth-led demonstrations across the country protesting an examination leak scandal. The appointment addresses one of the primary demands raised during the protests, which had emerged as a significant challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Joshi, aged 63, brings extensive ministerial experience to the role. He has served in Modi's cabinet since 2019 and currently oversees the portfolios of new and renewable energy, consumer affairs, food and public distribution. Political analysts note that managing the education portfolio will likely prove demanding given heightened public scrutiny of India's education system.

A native of Bijapur in Karnataka, Joshi holds a bachelor's degree in arts and co-founded a chemicals business after graduation. His political involvement began in the early 1990s during a significant land-use dispute in Hubballi. He was first elected to parliament in 2004 from Dharwad district and has won five consecutive parliamentary elections. Before joining the national cabinet in 2019, he served as Karnataka's BJP president from 2014.

Joshi's ministerial tenure has included efforts to increase coal production to meet energy demands, though these initiatives drew criticism from climate activists and local communities. Upon his appointment to the education portfolio, Joshi expressed gratitude to Modi on social media, stating he accepted the responsibility "with humility and a deep sense of duty."