Pralhad Joshi was handed over Education Ministry in place of former minister Dharmendra Pradhan, adding fourth portfolio to the cabinet role, as he continues to hold Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy, all of which he has steered since June 2024.
A five-time member of the Lok Sabha, Joshi represents the Dharwad constituency in Karnataka. In 2004, he first entered national politics after winning elections to the 14th Lok Sabha. Since theb he has since built a reputation within the party as a steady administrator with deep organisational roots.
Born in November 1962 into a North Karnataka Brahmin family, he became associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh early in life, a move that has shaped much of his political trajectory and, according to sources.Between 2019 and 2024, Joshi held charge of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines — a stretch that saw him frequently act as the government’s floor manager in Parliament. As Minister for New and Renewable Energy, he has overseen flagship initiatives including the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and the PM-KUSUM scheme, with the ministry working toward a target of 500 GW in renewable and non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
His entry into the education portfolio comes at a sensitive juncture. The ministry is still contending with fallout from the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, and Joshi had earlier signalled, in comments made after the leak surfaced, that reforms to the examination process were under consideration.
As per officials familiar with the transition, he is expected to take stock of pending policy matters, including the rollout of the National Education Policy, in the coming weeks.Joshi’s appointment continues a pattern in the current Council of Ministers, where senior leaders are increasingly asked to juggle multiple, often unrelated, portfolios simultaneously.