As Pralhad Joshi takes charge, here's what awaits him at the Education Ministry

With Dharmendra Pradhan's exit, Pralhad Joshi takes charge as the new Union Education Minister, inheriting an ambitious reform agenda and the challenge of rebuilding confidence in high-stakes exams.

In Short

• Ministry is implementing NEP 2020 alongside a new school curriculum rollout
• Competency-based assessments included a proposal for twice-yearly Class 10 and 12 boards
• Digital learning expanded through DIKSHA and SWAYAM, supporting multilingual education goals

Pralhad Joshi is the new Union Education Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Inducted as part of the latest Cabinet reshuffle, Joshi succeeds Dharmendra Pradhan, bringing to a close his nearly five-year tenure at the Ministry of Education. Joshi has been serving as the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Government Of India. Pradhan tendered his resignation this afternoon, citing responsibility for the NEET UG irregularities and the need to protect students' interests and national unity.

The leadership change comes at a crucial juncture for India's education sector. In addition to overhauling the country's examination system following repeated paper leak controversies and allegations of irregularities in competitive exams, the Centre is in the middle of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and rolling out a new school curriculum.

The new minister inherits an ambitious reform agenda alongside the challenge of restoring public confidence in India's high-stakes entrance and recruitment examinations.

WHAT'S IN STORE FOR PRALHAD JOSHI AS EDU MINISTER

The Education Minister assumes office at a pivotal moment for the sector, with the Centre already rolling out a series of reforms to restore trust in the country's examination system.

In the wake of the NEET UG controversy, the government has begun restructuring the National Testing Agency (NTA), with around 47 officials reportedly removed as part of the overhaul.

The Centre has also proposed changes to outsourcing practices, tighter supervision of examination processes and stronger technological safeguards to make national entrance tests more secure and resistant to paper leaks.

Alongside these measures, the government is laying the groundwork for gradually shifting major entrance examinations, including NEET-UG, to a computer-based format. The ministry has also continued to expand digital education infrastructure, promote research and innovation, and encourage the internationalisation of Indian higher education institutions.

While these initiatives mark the beginning of a wider overhaul, the new minister will be responsible for ensuring that the reforms translate into lasting institutional change and greater public confidence in India's examination ecosystem.

BUREAUCRATIC RESHUFFLE SIGNALS RESET

Even before the Cabinet reshuffle, the Centre made significant changes to the Ministry of Education's top bureaucracy.

Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi was shifted to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, while Naresh Pal Gangwar was appointed the new Higher Education Secretary. TK Anil Kumar has taken charge as Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy.

Gangwar is a 1994-batch Rajasthan cadre IAS officer who was serving as Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Anil Kumar is a 1995-batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer and was previously Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development.

The administrative changes come alongside the government's broader effort to strengthen the functioning of the Ministry of Education and the NTA following recent examination controversies.

A LOOK AT PRADHAN'S TENURE: NEP REFORMS, ROLL OUT OF NCF, PAPER LEAKS

Pradhan assumed charge as Union Education Minister in July 2021 after succeeding Ramesh Pokhriyal. Before that, he served as Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

During his tenure, the Ministry of Education accelerated the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, one of the most significant overhauls of India's education system in decades.

Among the key initiatives were the rollout of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and the introduction of new NCERT textbooks aligned with the NEP.

The ministry also promoted competency-based learning and assessment reforms, including the proposal to conduct Class 10 and 12 board examinations twice a year to reduce the pressure of a single high-stakes examination.

Digital learning expanded through platforms such as DIKSHA and SWAYAM, while schools gradually adopted the NEP's emphasis on multilingual education, Indian knowledge systems and skill-based learning.

In higher education, the government expanded IITs, IIMs and central universities, while many institutions introduced the four-year undergraduate programme, Academic Bank of Credits, multiple entry and exit provisions and other reforms aimed at increasing institutional flexibility and autonomy.

While the ministry pursued long-term structural reforms, Pradhan's later years in office were increasingly overshadowed by recurring controversies over competitive examinations.

The first major crisis emerged in 2024, when allegations of irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET UG examination triggered nationwide protests, legal challenges and political criticism. The controversy put the NTA under intense scrutiny and prompted the Centre to announce a series of reforms.

The issue resurfaced in 2026 after the Centre cancelled NEET UG following allegations of a question paper leak. Affecting more than 20 lakh aspirants, the unprecedented decision led to a CBI investigation and a fresh examination.

The repeated controversies renewed questions over the integrity of India's examination system, with Opposition parties demanding greater accountability and, at various points, Pradhan's resignation. The government maintained that strict action was being taken against those responsible while simultaneously pursuing systemic reforms.

Concerns were not limited to NEET. Several national and state-level entrance and recruitment examinations were cancelled, postponed or investigated over suspected paper leaks.

Most recently, the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 was postponed just a day before it was scheduled to be held after police uncovered a suspected paper leak during a raid in Thane district, reigniting concerns over the security of India's examination ecosystem.

CHALLENGES AHEAD

The new Union Education Minister assumes office at a defining moment for India's education sector.

Beyond completing the implementation of NEP 2020, the minister will oversee the rollout of the remaining school curriculum reforms, strengthen the credibility of entrance and recruitment examinations, improve the functioning of the NTA and steer the next phase of higher education reforms.

The ministry will also have to balance long-term policy reforms with the immediate task of restoring public confidence in the country's examination system.

With structural changes already underway within both the Ministry of Education and the NTA, the focus will now shift from announcing reforms to ensuring their effective implementation. Whether the next phase succeeds will largely depend on the government's ability to build stronger institutions, improve accountability and deliver examinations that students can trust.

- Ends