New Education Minister Pralhad Joshi Says Priority Is To 'Understand First, Then Deliver'

Newly appointed Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday said his immediate priority was to understand the functioning of the Ministry of Education before taking key decisions, after holding a series of review meetings with senior officials.

Joshi, who took charge of the ministry on Saturday after being given the additional portfolio, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had entrusted him with the responsibility with "trust and belief".

"I have taken charge and have been attending meetings to understand all the details and information about the ministry and its decisions. This is a new area of work for me. I have tried to gain the best knowledge and have spoken to senior officials. The department is very large, so my priority will be to understand it first and then deliver," Joshi told reporters in New Delhi.

The minister said he had held continuous meetings with senior officials throughout the day to review the ministry's work.

"I am reviewing all the details here and the decisions that need to be taken. I have been gathering information and trying to understand the functioning of the entire ministry. It is a very big department, so I will speak in detail after I have understood it completely," he said.

In a post on X, Joshi said he had formally assumed charge as the Union Minister for Education and thanked Prime Minister Modi for reposing faith in him.

"I am grateful to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for placing his faith in me and entrusting me with this responsibility. I accept it with humility and a deep sense of duty," he wrote.

President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25, following sustained student protests over the NEET paper leak controversy.

A six-term Lok Sabha MP from Karnataka's Dharwad constituency, the 63-year-old leader continues to hold his existing portfolios as Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Minister for New and Renewable Energy.

Earlier, Joshi praised the work of his predecessor, saying Dharmendra Pradhan had implemented the National Education Policy and overseen several important initiatives over the past four to five years.

"The country has made significant progress in the new education system," Joshi said, adding that he would continue to work under the Prime Minister's guidance and fulfil his responsibilities with dedication.