The 63-year-old Joshi, a long-time member of Modi s cabinet, has been given the responsibility at a time when the government is facing major challenges such as improving the transparency of the education system and restoring the trust of millions of students.

Who is Prahlad Joshi?

Prahlad Joshi was born in 1962 in Bijapur district of the Indian state of Karnataka. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from K.S. Arts College, Hubballi, affiliated to Karnataka University.

After completing his education, he started a chemical business, but was interested in politics from a young age and became associated with the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is considered the ideological organization of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

How did his political journey begin?

Prahlad Joshi played a prominent role in practical politics during the Hubli Eidgah Maidan controversy in Karnataka in the 1990s. Later, in 1998, he became the BJP s Dharwad district president, while in 2014, he was appointed the party s state president in Karnataka.

In 2004, he was first elected as a Member of Parliament from Dharwad and has since won five consecutive elections and reached the Lok Sabha.

What responsibilities did he hold in the Modi government?

Prahlad Joshi was made the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mining in Prime Minister Narendra Modi s cabinet in 2019.

In 2025, he was given the ministries of new and renewable energy and consumer affairs, food and public distribution, which he will continue to hold even in his new position.

During his tenure, the government took several steps to increase coal production, but environmental activists also criticized these policies in the context of climate change.

What challenges will the new education minister face?

Pralhad Joshi has been given the education ministry portfolio at a time when lakhs of students have gone on strike after the alleged leak of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NET) paper.

Following allegations of irregularities in the exam, the government announced the cancellation of the exam and its re-conduct, but this decision could not calm the anger of the students and the protests spread across the country, as a result of which former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan had to resign.

According to political observers, the biggest test for Pralhad Joshi will be to restore the trust of students in the education system, bring transparency in the examination system and implement reforms effectively.

What was the first step taken?

After taking charge of the Education Ministry, Pralhad Joshi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reposing faith in him and said that he accepts this responsibility with humility and a sense of duty.

On Sunday, he also held his first high-level meeting as Education Minister, in which new proposals were considered to review the NEET crisis and reform the examination system.