Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been given additional charge of India's Ministry of Education following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan amid nationwide protests over alleged examination paper leaks.

The appointment was confirmed by the President's Office on Saturday after accepting Pradhan's resignation. Joshi will continue to serve as Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs while overseeing the education portfolio.

Speaking to reporters after his appointment, Joshi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pledged to carry out his new responsibilities with dedication.

He credited the Modi government with achieving significant milestones over the past 12 years and praised his predecessor for implementing the National Education Policy and introducing several key reforms in recent years.

Pradhan, 57, submitted his resignation on the 35th day of protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, saying he stepped down to prevent what he described as anti-national forces from exploiting the situation.

In his resignation letter, he said he had devoted more than four decades to improving education and supporting students and teachers, describing a strong and inclusive education system as the foundation of a strong nation.

Hours after Pradhan's resignation, spokespersons of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, jointly announced the end of the protest alongside Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, saying the movement had been withdrawn "in good faith" after the government assured them that their demands would be addressed.

The resignation of Pradhan had been the principal demand of the protest movement launched by Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University graduate who recently returned to India to campaign against alleged examination paper leaks.

A day before taking charge of the Education Ministry, Joshi had reiterated the government's commitment to protecting students' interests while accusing anti-social elements of attempting to exploit the protests.

He said the Modi government remained committed to strengthening the education system, ensuring fairness in examinations and taking strict action against any irregularities affecting students.

Joshi also acknowledged students' right to peaceful protest but urged them to remain vigilant against attempts by outside groups to hijack the movement for other purposes.