After being appointed as Union Education Minister, Pralhad Joshi on Saturday said he accepted the new responsibility "with a sense of duty and humility" and pledged to carry forward the government's education reforms under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Joshi was given additional charge of the Education Ministry while continuing as Union Consumer Affairs Minister. He succeeds Dharmendra Pradhan, who resigned on Saturday, amid the Cockroach Janta Party-led nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak controversy.
"I have just got to know that the Prime Minister has given me a responsibility. I accept this responsibility with a sense of duty and humility," Joshi told reporters.
"In the last 12 years of Prime Minister Modi's government, many historical achievements have been made. In the last four-five years, Dharmendra Pradhan also executed the National Education Policy.
Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, I will try to perform to the best of my capacity," he added.
Pradhan stepped down after days of mounting pressure over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Announcing his resignation, he said it was not a matter of "individual prestige" for him and that he was disturbed by the series of events that had unfolded over the past 10 days.
(With inputs from PTI)
