Modi Taps Veteran Leader to Build Trust After India Youth Unrest

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomePMN BusinessModi Taps Veteran Leader to Build Trust After India Youth UnrestPrime Minister Narendra Modi has tasked a veteran party leader and minister with rebuilding confidence in India’s education system after weeks of student unrest.Author of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tasked a veteran party leader and minister with rebuilding confidence in India’s education system after weeks of student unrest.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountPralhad Joshi, a 63-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker, was appointed education minister after a weeks-long stir by students demanding action against his predecessor for exam paper leaks. Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday under public pressure. It’s not immediately clear if Joshi is helming the ministry in an acting capacity until a replacement is found, or if he will become the new face of India’s education system. He is also currently the union minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, as well as New and Renewable Energy minister.Joshi’s political journey began in the ranks of the Hindu nationalist movement. Four decades later, he has been handed one of the government’s most politically fraught jobs in dealing with what analysts say is an education system that has struggled to keep pace with demand, and a rapidly-growing economy that isn’t providing enough opportunities for young people.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againEven though India enjoys annual growth of about 7%, the country has struggled to create enough jobs for the millions of graduates entering the workforce each year. Joshi inherits a ministry whose credibility has been undermined by repeated paper leaks affecting high-stakes examinations. Students are demanding tougher policing, and insisting future examinations be fair.While Joshi has no prior experience overseeing the education ministry, he has steered some of Modi’s most consequential — and politically contentious — legislation through Parliament in recent years, often amid fierce opposition protests. These include measures linked to the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and a sweeping overhaul of colonial-era criminal laws.His past ministerial portfolios included parliamentary affairs, and coal and mines. At the coal ministry, Joshi presided over the auction of dozens of commercial mines to private companies, ending decades of state dominance in the sector in an effort to reduce dependence on imports. He also oversaw India’s push toward its target of 500 gigawatts of non-fossil power capacity by 2030.Hailing from the southern state of Karnataka, Joshi is a five-term member of parliament. He began his political career through the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Hindu nationalist organization that serves as the BJP’s ideological parent, and its student wing — the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad — before joining the party.Unlike many Indian politicians, Joshi does not come from a political family. He rose through the BJP’s organizational ranks in Karnataka before winning election to parliament in 2004. Prior to joining Modi’s cabinet in 2019, Joshi served as president of the BJP’s Karnataka unit, helping rebuild the party’s organization in one of its strongest southern states. This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.On his first full day on the job, Joshi held a meeting to review the implementation of various programs and initiatives in the Ministry of Education, the government said in a statement Sunday. His appointment underscores the rapport he enjoys with Modi, and he told reporters on Saturday that he would work with “honesty” and “humility.”“With great trust, he has assigned such responsibility to me,” Joshi said, referring to Modi. “I can only say, at this moment, under his guidance, under his leadership, I will perform and I will try to come to his expectation in this particular department.”—With assistance from Shruti Srivastava and Shamim Adam.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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