Union minister Pralhad Joshi has been given additional charge of the Ministry of Education, following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan amid protest over exam paper leaks. The President’s office, after accepting Pradhan’s resignation, confirmed Joshi’s appointment in a communique this evening. Joshi is currently Union Minister of Food and Consumer Affairs. Pradhan, 57, in his resignation letter on the 35th day of the protests in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over exam paper leaks, said he decided to step down in order to prevent anti-national forces from exploiting the situation. “For over four decades, I have dedicated myself to the cause of students, teachers, and educational reform. I have always believed that a robust, inclusive, and visionary education system forms the cornerstone of a strong nation,” he said in his resignation letter.