Following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister—a move triggered by widespread outrage over examination paper leaks—Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been handed the additional charge of the Ministry of Education. Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Joshi accepted the role with humility, highlighting the government’s structural achievements over the past twelve years.
The protests, led by the group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, were formally called off on Saturday evening after the government conceded to their demands. The decision was confirmed in a joint press briefing involving CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka alongside Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh. Beyond Pradhan’s stepping down, the government pledged to drop all police cases against protesting students, guarantee immunity from future legal action, and provide maximum financial compensation to the families of students lost to suicide following the NEET paper leak.
To address systemic flaws in the national testing process, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a high-powered task force dedicated to examination reform. Led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, the committee will focus on integrating advanced technology to rebuild trust, transparency, and reliability into upcoming exams. In a video statement shared on X, PM Modi reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to student welfare, noting that strict legal measures, fast-track courts, and pending anti-leak legislation are actively targeting perpetrators.
The high-powered task force features prominent experts across technology, intelligence, and administration, including:
- S. Somanath (Former ISRO Chairman)
- Tapan Deka (Former Intelligence Bureau Director)
- V. Kamakoti (Director, IIT Madras)
- Anita Karwal (Former Education Secretary)
- Amrit Lal Meena (Logistics Expert)
Nilekani brings extensive experience in large-scale technological interventions to the role. Best known for leading the initial launch of the Aadhaar system as the founding chairman of the UIDAI, he has also co-founded initiative-driven organizations such as the eGov Foundation and the EkStep Foundation, which focus on urban governance and early-childhood learning platforms.
