Pralhad Joshi's first reaction after taking charge as education minister: 'Will fulfil this duty with complete humility'

Newly appointed Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi said he would discharge his new responsibilities with "complete humility and a strong sense of responsibility" and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reposing faith in him.

"The prime minister has placed his trust in me and entrusted me with such a significant responsibility. With complete humility and a strong sense of responsibility, I will fulfil this duty," Joshi told reporters.

Joshi was given the additional charge of the Education Ministry after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following weeks of student protests over alleged examination irregularities.

"With full dedication, humility and honesty, I will work towards fulfilling this responsibility. I once again thank the prime minister for giving me this opportunity," he said.

Joshi, however, credited Pradhan with implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) and spearheading several key initiatives in the education sector.

"The country has made significant progress under the new education system. Under the guidance of the prime minister, I will work to the best of my ability and carry out my responsibilities with dedication," he added.

Pradhan submitted his resignation on Saturday, saying he was stepping down in the interest of students and to ensure that the ongoing protests over examination-related issues were not exploited by "anti-national forces."

He said the matter was not one of "individual prestige" and that he was deeply disturbed by the series of developments over the past 10 days.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué said President Droupadi Murmu, acting on the advice of the prime minister, accepted Pradhan's resignation with immediate effect.

The communique further stated that, on the prime minister's advice, the president assigned Joshi, who is already a cabinet minister, the additional charge of the Ministry of Education until further orders.