"We're Concerned, Sincere": What Pralhad Joshi Had Told NDTV On Paper Leaks

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who was appointed as the Education Minister last evening shortly after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, had told NDTV last week that he was "very much concerned" about the future of the students amid the NEET paper leak issue and the protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)."Whatever has happened, we are very much sensitive. We are very much concerned about our children. We are concerned about their future. This is why all the 14 people involved in the paper leaks were arrested," Joshi had told NDTV on June 23.The minister added that they are "sincere, concerned, and committed" about the welfare of the students.According to Joshi, the revised Public Examinations Amendment Bill brought convictions and fear over paper leaks."Before this, the provision in the law was very weak. Prime Minister Modi got it amended in 2024. He made a major amendment to this. That amendment has 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 crore. Before this, there was no law. That is why there was no fear. Recently, this law has been passed. It has been notified. There are rules. So, because of this, what will happen now is that there will be more convictions and fear," he said.He added, "This is a NEET examination. It takes a lot of time to hold the exam again. But within 40 days, the re-examination took place. The result came. Now the seat matrix issue is going on. Now there will be counselling."Pralhad Joshi Appointed Education Minister After Dharmendra Pradhan Quitshttps://t.co/Fi8jvZtccA @TanishaAwasthi1 | @aishvaryjain pic.twitter.com/F7px3I9pxx - NDTV (@ndtv) July 25, 2026Comparing the paper leaks to those during the Congress regime, Joshi said that the grand old party sold medical seats, but the PM Modi government believes in allotting seats on merit."We said that we are ready for the debate. When we accepted the debate, now they are saying that we should resign. So, I want to say clearly that when the Congress Party is in power, corruption; when it is in opposition, then disruption. This is the policy of the Congress," he said.Joshi also recalled the paper leak in Rajasthan when Congress' Ashok Gehlot was in power."When Ashok Gehlot was in power, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had said they were helpless in stopping paper leaks," he said."...Now you are talking so big. I want to say that before this, how many seats were there? Medical seats were 51,000. How many are there today? More than 1,35,000," he added.On the students' protest that witnessed some violent clashes at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on July 20 - when the CJP began a 'Chalo Sansad' march to the Parliament - the minister said, "Those who are there, beating the police, trying to lynch people in Jantar Mantar - what has been done? What is that? We should think about this. So, what is the government's approach? What is our approach? We will all talk together. It has happened every time. Because when we say developed India, our children's future, our students' future, this is an important issue."He had also confirmed that the Centre would hold talks with the CJP as PM Modi is "very concerned"."We will all meet for that. We will work. And to take the country forward, we will do whatever we have to do," he said.After nearly 36 days of protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar - which even saw a series of violent clashes - the CJP called off the demonstrations on Saturday after the government met all of their demands, including the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. Hours later, Joshi, who was serving as the Union Minister of Food and Consumer Affairs, was given additional charge of the Ministry of Education."I accept this responsibility with a sense of duty and humility. I am thankful to the Prime Minister. In the last 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, many historic achievements have been made," Joshi said after his appointment.