Dharmendra Pradhan: News

Dharmendra Pradhan, born on June 26, 1969 in Talcher, Odisha, is a Union Minister who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As of 2021, he represents Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha and holds two portfolios in PM Narendra Modi's Cabinet, including Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. Pradhan was active in politics even as a student, owing to the influence of his father, a BJP leader who was a Minister of State in AB Vajpayee's government and a member of the Lok Sabha, too. He obtained his Master's in Anthropology from the Utkal University in Odisha. He was a member of the Odisha Assembly during 2000-04 from Pallahara. Pradhan successfully contested in his first-ever Lok Sabha election from Deogarh in 2004. He held the position for one term and suffered a defeat in 2009. He was, however, elected to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar in 2012. In 2014, he was appointed the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and later promoted to a Cabinet rank in 2017; he held the post until 2021. He also served as the Union Minister of Steel from 2019-21. Pradhan is also active in the party's activities in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka.

15 Oct 2024

Government of India

AI Centres of Excellence on agriculture, healthcare, sustainable cities launched

Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, has inaugurated three AI Centres of Excellence (CoE) in New Delhi.

Infighting to Jat focus: 5 factors behind Congress's Haryana shock

Defying exit poll predictions, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to return to power in Haryana, marking its biggest win in the state.

29 Aug 2024

Amit Shah

BJP plans to drop 40% ministers for Haryana elections: Report 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning a significant strategy shift for the upcoming Haryana state elections.

29 Jun 2024

India

New dates for NEET-PG expected by Monday-Tuesday: Education minister

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has announced that the dates for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2024 exam will be announced by Monday or Tuesday.

NTA announces major change for UGC-NET retest

The National Testing Agency (NTA), in a late-night notification on Friday, announced new dates for the cancelled University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET).

25 Jun 2024

Narendra Modi

Parliament session day 2: Remaining MPs take oath

The inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on a rocky note on Monday.

24 Jun 2024

Narendra Modi

Parliament session: 'NEET' jeers by opposition as Pradhan takes oath 

The inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on Monday, with MPs taking their oaths in the Parliament.

24 Jun 2024

Narendra Modi

Council of ministers takes oath as Parliament session begins

The first session of the Parliament after the Lok Sabha elections began on Monday.

23 Jun 2024

Bihar

CBI registers FIR in NEET-UG paper leak case 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in relation to the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-Centre-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET) exam.

NEET-UG retest: 1,563 candidates to appear at 7 centers today 

In the wake of an escalating controversy surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance (NEET)-Undergraduate exam 2024, a retest is being conducted on Sunday for 1,563 candidates.

'BJP's corruption weakening country...': Priyanka Gandhi amid NEET row 

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has criticized the Narendra Modi-led government over alleged examination paper leaks, claiming that the "Bharatiya Janata Party's corruption is weakening the country."

UGC-NET exam paper leaked, sold on darknet: Report

The University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test question paper, held on Tuesday, was leaked 48 hours in advance and sold on the dark web and encrypted social media platforms for ₹6 lakh, according to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sources, NDTV reported.

Explained: Government's response to NEET-UG, UGC-NET row; opposition's reaction 

Amid national outrage over irregularities in NEET-UG and UGC-NET, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said that the National Testing Agency—which conducts the exams—will be strengthened and those responsible for the paper leaks will be penalized.

NEET-UG row: Centre forms high-level committee to review NTA's functioning    

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addressed the media on Thursday amid a slugfest over the cancellation of the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) and the alleged paper leak of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

18 Jun 2024

Narendra Modi

NEET row: After SC slams Centre, Rahul questions Modi's silence

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "silence" on the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examination.

13 Jun 2024

Gaurav Gogoi

Education Minister Pradhan refutes NEET-UG paper leak allegations

Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has denied allegations of a paper leak in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Under Graduate (NEET-UG) 2024.

11 Jun 2024

Narendra Modi

BJP searching for new chief as Nadda joins Modi Cabinet

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in search of a new party chief following JP Nadda's appointment to the Modi 3.0 Cabinet, where he will oversee the Health, Chemicals, and Fertilizers ministries.

24 May 2024

Lok Sabha Elections

Polling kicks off for 6th phase of Lok Sabha elections 

The polling for the sixth and penultimate phase of the Lok Sabha elections kicked off on Saturday.

24 Mar 2024

Ashwini Kumar Choubey

BJP reveals 5th list for Lok Sabha elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its fifth list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Twice-a-year CBSE board exams to be rolled out from 2025-26

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said students of Classes 10 and 12 can sit for board examinations twice a year, starting from the 2025-26 academic year.

29 Jan 2024

Narendra Modi

'Compete with yourself': PM Modi at 7th 'Pariksha Pe Charcha'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attended the seventh edition of the Pariksha Pe Charcha program at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam.

BJP, BJD spar over YouTuber Kamiya Jani's Jagannath Temple visit

A major controversy has erupted over social media influencer and Curly Tales founder Kamiya Jani's visit to the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha.

23 Aug 2023

Education Ministry

Board exam will be held twice a year: Centre

The Ministry of Education reportedly announced on Wednesday that board exams will be held twice a year in the country.

20 Aug 2023

Jadavpur University

'Not satisfactory': Centre on Jadavpur University's report over student's death

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said the official report submitted by Jadavpur University (JU), Kolkata, to the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the tragic death of 17-year-old student Swapnadip Kundu was "not satisfactory," PTI reported.

Know about NCERT controversy on Mahatma Gandhi, Hindu-Muslim unity, RSS

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has caused a stir with its class 12 political science textbook.

17 Nov 2022

G20 Summit

Education is a priority area of G20: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a meeting on Wednesday ahead of the preparations for the G20 summit scheduled to take place next year in India.

07 Sep 2022

NEET

No plan to merge NEET, JEE with CUET: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has declared that there are no immediate plans to integrate the engineering and medical entrance examinations with the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).

At least 15cr children, youths out of formal education: Pradhan

At least 15 crore children and youths are out of the country's formal education system, and roughly about 25 crore population is below the primary definition of literacy, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Thursday.

20 Jun 2021

X

Odia playback singer Tapu Mishra dies due to COVID-19 complications

Popular Odia singer Tapu Mishra, who worked prolifically in the playback industry, passed away on Saturday due to post-COVID-19 complications, said reports.

20 Feb 2021

Fuel Price Hike

Fuel price hike: Indian Youth Congress holds protest in Delhi

Activists of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) staged a protest at the Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday against rising petrol and diesel prices and demanded the resignation of Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

17 Feb 2021

Madhya Pradesh

Fuel price hike: Petrol crosses Rs. 100 in Rajasthan

For the first time ever, the price of petrol crossed the Rs. 100 per liter mark in Rajasthan on Wednesday after fuel rates were hiked for the ninth day in a row.

09 Feb 2021

Mumbai

Petrol and diesel prices at fresh highs after another hike

Petrol and diesel prices on Tuesday climbed to fresh highs in the country as rates were hiked after a three-day hiatus.

23 Jan 2021

Mumbai

Petrol and diesel prices touch all-time highs: Details here

Petrol and diesel prices on Saturday were hiked by 25 paise per liter each, the second consecutive day of the rate increase, taking the prices to a new record high.

04 Aug 2020

Gurugram

Coronavirus: Dharmendra Pradhan becomes second Union Minister to test positive

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The 51-year-old has been admitted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, Haryana.

Gautam Gambhir performs last rites of domestic help amid lockdown

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir performed the last rites of his deceased domestic help in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

11 Aug 2019

India

Government to use 'leftover cooking oil' to reduce energy imports

In a bid to achieve PM Narendra Modi's goal of reducing India's dependence on energy imports and encourage the biofuel sector, the Center has come up with a new plan.

23 Jun 2019

iPhone

Android or iPhone: Wondering which phone Amit Shah uses?

Political connotations aside, the current Modi 2.0 government is quite tech savvy and know their social media game well.

05 Jun 2019

India

What should India expect from new Home Minister Amit Shah

From 2014 to 2019, things have changed for PM Narendra Modi, for better. This time, he got a bigger mandate and he inducted his right-hand man Amit Shah into the Cabinet.

01 Apr 2019

Odisha

Sambit Patra's video invites questions over Ujjwala scheme

Sambit Patra, the BJP spokesperson who has been fielded from Puri Lok Sabha constituency, shared a video of a woman cooking food on an earthen oven sparking questions about the success of Ujjwala Yojana.

27 Jan 2019

Uttarakhand

Country's second tulip garden to be built in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand's first tulip garden will come up over 50 hectares of forest land in Pithoragarh district at a cost of Rs. 50cr.

11 Dec 2018

Piyush Goyal

Leaders pay tribute to poet Bharathi on his birth anniversary

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy led the Union Territory in paying tributes to nationalist poet Subramania Bharathi on his 136th birth-anniversary today.

06 Dec 2018

Odisha

BJD leaders to meet 22 parties over Women's Reservation Bill

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has decided to consult 22 political parties, including Congress and BJP, as part of its effort to build consensus on the Women's Reservation Bill, pending in Parliament.

03 Dec 2018

Odisha

Odisha: Shelter home sealed over sexual abuse allegations, two arrested

An NGO-run shelter home has been sealed in Odisha's Dhenkanal district and two people, including its managing director, arrested following allegations that the minor inmates were sexually abused there.

17 Nov 2018

Madhya Pradesh

MP polls: BJP releases manifesto, promises 10L jobs per year

Providing 10 lakh jobs per year to youths in Madhya Pradesh and welfare of all sections of society are among the major promises made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its manifesto for the November 28 Assembly elections.

13 Nov 2018

Odisha

Eminent Odia singer Chitta Jena passes away at 76

Eminent Odia singer, Chitta Jena passed away at a hospital in Cuttack today, following brief illness.

03 Nov 2018

Amit Shah

Man, who hosted BJP chief Amit Shah, joins BJD

A man, who once hosted lunch for BJP President Amit Shah during his visit to Odisha's Ganjam district last year, has now joined the BJD.

28 Oct 2018

Odisha

Odisha: CM orders inquiry, action against offcials for elephants' electrocution

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Sunday ordered an inquiry by the crime branch into the electrocution of seven elephants in Dhenkanal district.

14 Oct 2018

Mukesh Ambani

PM Modi to brainstorm with global CEOs on oil scenario

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tomorrow brainstorm with Chief Executives of top global and Indian oil and gas companies on emerging energy scenario, with ripples from the US sanctions on Iran and volatile oil prices threatening growth.

30 Aug 2018

Kerala

Flood-hit victims in Kerala to get low cost LPG cylinders

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has approved a proposal to replace LPG cylinders, which were lost during the recent floods in Kerala, at a subsidized rate, a statement from the Union Minister of State for Tourism KJ Alphons's office said today.

01 Aug 2018

Petrol Diesel Prices

Center, industry want petroleum products under GST: Oil Minister Pradhan

The Center and the petroleum industry favor inclusion of petroleum products in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) but the GST Council will take a final call on it, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today.

07 Jul 2018

Odisha

Bhubaneswar New station, mobile app come up before Rath Yatra

A new railway station in Odisha's Bhubaneswar and a host of other infrastructure projects were inaugurated today ahead of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra festival beginning July 14.

11 Jun 2018

India

6 worst performers in the Modi cabinet: Details here

While enjoying their power for the past four years, some ministers of the Modi government have forgotten their responsibilities toward people. Their roles have been insignificant in transforming the appalling status quo, which India needs to disrupt desperately.

22 May 2018

Karnataka

Amid widespread criticism, government assures solution to rising fuel prices

The Center is facing flak from all sides even as fuel prices, which have been rising continuously since the Karnataka elections, touched new highs.

15 May 2018

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: First crude oil cargo shipped to India's ISPRL

The first consignment of 2 million barrels of crude oil from the UAE for India's strategic petroleum reserve at Mangalore is en route to India and will help it deal with supply-side disruptions, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.

14 May 2018

Nitin Gadkari

No plans to become PM, Modi will continue: Nitin Gadkari

In an interview to HT, Union Minister and former BJP President Nitin Gadkari has ruled out his becoming the PM if the party wins in 2019.

Petrol prices hiked 17 paise/liter, diesel 21 paise/liter after Karnataka-polls

After a 19-day pre-Karnataka poll hiatus, petrol price was today hiked by 17 paise/liter and diesel by 21 paise/liter as PSU oil firms began passing on the international rates spike to consumers.

06 Apr 2018

India

Including fuel-prices under GST will bring in rational tax-mechanism: Pradhan

Amid an uproar over higher fuel rates, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said the inclusion of petroleum products under the ambit of the GST will bring the products under a rational tax mechanism.

23 Jan 2018

India

Fuel prices continue moving higher, govt mulls GST option

Petrol prices in Mumbai crossed the Rs. 80 mark yesterday for the first time since August'14.

02 Jan 2018

India

Oil, gas discovery in Arabian Sea, major boost for ONGC

India's largest oil and gas explorer, the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, made a large oil and gas discovery in the Arabian Sea, said Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

13 Oct 2017

Madhya Pradesh

MP cuts diesel VAT by 5%, petrol VAT by 3%

The MP government has cut the value added tax (VAT) on fuel products. It reduced VAT on diesel by 5% and VAT on petrol by 3%. CM Shivraj Chouhan said the new prices will be effective from midnight.

12 Oct 2017

India

Japan to provide on-the-job training to three lakh Indian youths

India has said it will send three lakh youths to Japan for on-the-job training of three-five years as part of the government's skill development program.

09 Oct 2017

Narendra Modi

PM Modi discusses India's energy sector with top oil CEOs

PM Narendra Modi along with Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan interacted with top oil and gas CEOs from around the world today.

09 Oct 2017

India

Saudi Aramco eyes Indian demand, plans JV by 2018

State-run oil giant Saudi Aramco has reportedly launched its unit in India. The world's largest oil exporter wants to cater to the rising energy demands of the world's third-biggest oil consumer.

28 Sep 2017

Bharti Airtel

Airtel, Idea say telecom sector is suffering, intervention necessary

On Wednesday, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Communications, Manoj Sinha inaugurated the maiden India Mobile Congress (IMC) at Delhi's Pragati Maidan.

17 Sep 2017

India

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan proposes bringing petroleum products under GST

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has requested Finance Ministry to include petroleum products under GST ambit.

15 Sep 2017

India

Dynamic fuel pricing: As people suffer, Oil Ministry stands back

Petrol and diesel prices touched a three-year high this week. On September 11, Delhi residents paid Rs. 70.38/L for petrol; the last time price touched such heights was September'14.

04 Sep 2017

India

India Inc praises latest cabinet reshuffle

The Indian industry praised Modi for the latest cabinet reshuffle and said that it was "carefully strategized" to give a fresh boost to the process of India's development.

03 Sep 2017

India

Cabinet reshuffle: Interesting facts about the new ministers

In its third cabinet reshuffle, the Modi government has inducted nine new faces and promoted four Ministers of State to cabinet rank.

22 Jun 2017

Bengaluru

Bengaluru's next epic service: Diesel-on-demand

Bengalureans have a new doorstep service: they can now have diesel delivered at home with just a phone call or online booking.

02 Jun 2017

Odisha

2019 Odisha elections: Can the Modi wave knock BJD out?

For the past two decades, Odisha politics has been dominated by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), with the Patnaiks at the helm.

22 May 2017

India

India to leverage market size for OPEC deals

Sources have confirmed that India would attempt to leverage its market size at the upcoming meeting of OPEC ministers in Vienna, to secure better deals for oil.

07 May 2017

India

Free LPG Connections: Centre to expand network with Rs. 30,000cr

The Centre is entailing a Rs. 30,000cr-investment for expanding LPG production and distribution network in the next three years.

31 Mar 2017

India

India gains membership to International Energy Agency

India has gained Associate Membership to the Paris based International Energy Agency.

14 Sep 2016

India

Seven Oil PSUs co-create start-up fund

Seven Oil Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) including Indian Oil, Gail India, Bharat Petroleum and others have come together to establish a start-up fund of Rs.100 crore.