GoI acknowledged the seriousness of concerns aired recently by Gen Z protests by transferring the education secretary, removing 47 National Testing Agency (NTA) officials, and accepting education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. The appointment of Pralhad Joshi as Pradhan's successor sparked discussion, since he has neither academic qualifications nor professional experience in the sector. While Joshi is not unique in this respect, the episode revived a debate on whether ministers should possess qualifications or professional experience relevant to their portfolios.
This question deserves closer attention. An examination of the Modi government shows that only about 1/4th of its 71 ministers have academic qualifications or significant professional experience broadly aligned with their portfolios. Only 9 have backgrounds that closely match the ministries they head, with a similar number among ministers of state.
