Education Ministers of India from 1947 to 2023: Complete List of All HRD/ Education Ministers of India Since Independence

It is often said that “Education is the most powerful tool that can change society”. In India, there are a number of Ministers who have contributed to the growth of the education system. Because of the great work done by these Education Ministers in India from 1947 to 2023, the literacy rate of India has improved significantly.

Today, the literacy rate in India is around 77%. It was around only 12% at the time of independence. There have been around 30 Education Ministers in India since Independence. All of them have done commendable jobs.

List of Education Ministers of India from 1947 to 2023

Education in India has always been a priority for the Indian government. There are many ministers who have been in charge of education since Independence. Check out the complete list below.

Details of All Education Ministers of India Since Independence

Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (15 August 1947 – 22 January 1958)

• Date of Birth –  11th November 1988
• Full Name – Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru

Born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Maulana Azad was the first education minister of India. His birthday is celebrated as National Education Day across India.

Dr. K. L. Shrimali (22 January 1958 – 31 Aug 1963)

• Year of Birth – December 1909
• Full Name – Kalu Lal Shrimali
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru

K.L. Shrimali was a well-known parliamentarian and educationist. He served as the government of India’s second Union Education minister. He received the Padma Vibushan in 1976 for his significant contribution to education.

Shri Humayun Kabir (1 September 1963- 21 November 1963)

• Date of Birth – 22nd February 1906
• Full Name – Humayun Kabir
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru

Humayun Kabir worked as the education minister of India for only 2 months. He was also a poet, essayist and Bengali language novelist. Kabir published a book of poems in Oxford in 1932.

Shri. M. C. Chagla (21 November 1963 – 13 November 1966)

• Date of Birth – 30th September 1900
• Full Name – Mohammadali Carim Chagla
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru, Gulzarilal Nanda (Acting), and Lal Bahadur Shastri

Mohammadali Carim Chagla was born in Bombay to a famous Gujarati Ismali Khoja Family. Apart from being the education minister, he also served as a jurist and diplomat. He was also the chief justice of the Bombay High Court from 1947 to 1958.

Shri. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed  (14 November 1966- 13 March 1967)

• Date of Birth – 13th May 1905
• Full Name – Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

During his brief tenure in the education ministry, Ahmed oversaw the Amending Bill of 1966 to the Banaras Hindu University Act and voiced concerns regarding the Ministry’s decreased funding and its potential effects on educational reconstruction programs. He also served as the 5th President of India.

Dr. Triguna Sen (16 March 1967- 14 Feb 1969)

• Date of Birth – 24th December 1905
• Full Name – Triguna Sen
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

Triguna Sen was the first Vice-Chancellor of Jadavpur University and the 11th Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University. He was the education minister of India for nearly 2 years. He got Padma Bhushan in 1965.

Dr. V. K. R. V. Rao (14 Feb 1969 – 18 March 1971)

• Date of Birth – 8th July 1908
• Full Name – Vijayendra Kasturi Ranga Varadaraja Rao
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

Vijayendra Kasturi Ranga Varadaraja Rao was a famous Indian politician, economist, and educator. He was the founder of the Delhi School of Economics. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from Bellary in 1967 and 1971. He was also a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan award.

Shri. Siddhartha Shankar Ray (18 March 1971 – 20 March 1972)

• Date of Birth – 20th October 1920
• Full Name – Siddhartha Shankar Ray
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

Siddhartha Shankar Ray was the son of Sudhir Kumar Ray who was a well-known barrister of the Calcutta High Court. In addition to being Union Education Minister, he also served as Chief Minister of West Bengal, Governor of Punjab, and Indian Ambassador to the United States.

Prof. S. Nurul Hasan 24 March (1972- 24 March 1977)

• Date of Birth – 26th December 1921
• Full Name – Saiyid Nurul Hasan
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

Born in Lucknow, Saiyid Nurul Hasan was a historian and elder statesman. As India’s education minister, he founded the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi. He was also the vice president of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi.

Prof. Pratap Chandra Chunder (26 March 1977 – 28 July 1979)

• Date of Birth – 1st September 1919
• Full Name – Pratap Chandra Chunder
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Morarji Desai

Pratap Chandra Chunder was the son of Nirmal Chandra Chunder (a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress). He was an advocate of the Supreme Court of India. Chunder was also the founder of the West Bengal Heritage Commission and the President of the Board of Governors of IISWBM.

Dr. Karan Singh (29 July 1979 -January 1980)

• Date of Birth – 9th March 1931
• Full Name – Karan Singh
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Charan Singh

Karan Singh was the education minister of India in the Charan Singh cabinet. He is the son of the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh. He also served as the chancellor of Banaras Hindu University.

Shri. B. Shankaranand (14 January 1980- 18 October 1980)

• Date of Birth – 19th October 1925
• Full Name – B. Shankaranand
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

B. Shankaranand was a famous congress leader from Karnataka. He worked as the education minister of India in the Indira Gandhi government. He headed the first-ever Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the Bofors deal.

Shri. S.B. Chavan (17 October 1980- 8 August 1981)

• Date of Birth – 14th July 1920
• Full Name – Shankarrao Chavan
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

Shankarrao Bhavrao Chavan served as the union minister for a brief period of time. He served twice as Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He was also the chancellor of Tilak Maharashtra University, Pune.   

Smt. Sheila Kaul (10 August 1981- 31 December 1984)

• Date of Birth – 7th February 1915
• Full Name – Sheila Kaul
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

Born in Lucknow, Sheila Kaul was elected as MP five times in 1971, 1980, 1984, 1991, and 1995. She was the wife of Kailas Nath Kaul (brother of Kamala Nehru). Sheila led the Indian delegations to the International Women’s Congress, Berlin in 1975.

Shri. K. C. Pant (31 December 1984- 25 September 1985)

• Date of Birth – 10th August 1931
• Full Name – Krishna Chandra Pant
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Rajiv Gandhi

KC Pant took the post of Education Minister in 1985. During his tenure, he launched campaigns like Education for the Blind, Mass Literacy Campaign, and Delinking jobs from degrees. He also proposed the idea of IGNOU.

Shri. P.V. Narasimha Rao (25 September 1985- 25 June 1988)/ (25 December 1994- 9 February 1995)/ (17 January 1996- 16 May 1996)

• Date of Birth – 28th June 1921
• Full Name – Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Rajiv Gandhi

P.V. Narasimha Rao served as the union education minister three times. He was the first prime minister of India after the nehru-gandhi family. He was also known as the “Father of Indian Economic Reforms”.

Shri. P. Shiv Shankar (25 June 1988- 2 December 1989)

• Date of Birth – 10th August 1929
• Full Name – Punjala Shiv Shankar
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Rajiv Gandhi

Punjala Shiv Shankar was a minister with a lot of power in the cabinets of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and one of the most powerful politicians in India. He was the Minister of Petroleum, Law, and External Affairs. Additionally, from 1994 to 1995, he was Governor of Sikkim, and from 1995 to 1996, he was Governor of Kerala.

Shri. V.P. Singh (2 December 1989- 10 November 1990)

• Date of Birth – 25th June 1931
• Full Name – Vishwanath Pratap Singh
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Himself

He was the 7th Prime Minister of India and the 41st Raja Bahadur of Manda. Singh is known for implementing the Mandal Commission report for India’s backward castes. This led to major protests against the act. 

Shri. Raj Mangal Pande (21 November 1990- 21 June 1991)

• Date of Birth – 10th May 1920
• Full Name – Raj Mangal Pande
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Chandra Shekhar

Raj Mangal Pande was the education minister of India during the tenure of Chandra Shekhar. He was an active freedom fighter before independence. He was the MP from Deoria constituency.

Shri. Arjun Singh (23 June 1991- 24 December 1994)/ (22 May 2004 – 22 May 2009)

• Date of Birth – 5th November 1930
• Full Name – Arjun Singh
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh

Arjun Singh served as the Education Minister (Known as the Union Minister of Human Resource Development at that time) twice in the P.V. Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh. He was the son of Shiv Bahadur Singh (a famous Jagirdar in Madhya Pradesh)

Shri. Madhav Rao Scindia (10 February 1995- 17 January 1996)

• Date of Birth – 10th March 1945
• Full Name – Madhavrao Jivajirao Scindia
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – PV Narasimha Rao

Born in a Royal Maratha family, Madhav Rao Scindia held multiple portfolios during his political career. He was one of the most influential leaders of his time. He died in a plane crash in 2001.

Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (16 May 1996- 1 June 1996)

• Date of Birth – 25th December 1924
• Full Name – Atal Bihari Vajpayee
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Himself

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an Indian politician who served three terms as the prime minister of India. He was one of the co-founders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was also a famous poet and author.

Shri. S.R. Bommai (5 June 1996- 19 March 1998)

• Date of Birth – 6th June 1924
• Full Name – Somappa Rayappa Bommai
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – H.D. Deve Gowda

Born in Karnataka, S.R. Bommai was the 11th Chief Minister of Karnataka. He served as the education minister (Human Resource Development Minister) in H.D. Deve Gowda’s government. He was also a freedom fighter who took part in the Quit India Movement.

Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi (19 March 1998- 22 May 2004)

• Date of Birth – 5th January 1934
• Full Name – Murli Manohar Joshi
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Bhartiya Janta Party’s politician Murli Manohar Joshi is quite famous. He used to teach physics at the University of Allahabad. He also worked as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2017, the Government of India presented Joshi with the second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan.

Shri Kapil Sibal (29 May 2009- 29 October 2012)

• Date of Birth – 8th August 1948
• Full Name – Kapil Sibal
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Manmohan Singh

Kapil Sibal is a famous lawyer as well as a politician. He graduated from Harvard University and practised law on Wall street. He is famous for representing high-profile cases in the Supreme Court of India.

M. M. Pallam Raju (30 October 2012- 26 May 2014)

• Date of Birth – 24th January 1962
• Full Name – Mallipudi Mangapati Pallam Raju
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Manmohan Singh

Born in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, MM Pallam Raju represented the Kakinada constituency of Andhra Pradesh.  During his tenure as the education minister, he set up Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), to provide higher education to deserving students.

Smt. Smriti Irani (26 May 2014 – 5 July 2016)

• Date of Birth – 23rd March 1976
• Full Name – Smriti Zubin Irani
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Narendra Modi

Smriti Irani is a politician and former actress. She took charge as the education minister on 27th May 2004. Under her tenure, the know your college portal was launched to help prospective students while selecting a college. She also launched SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds).

Shri. Prakash Javdekar (5 July 2016 – 30 May 2019)

• Date of Birth – 30th January 1951
• Full Name – Prakash Keshav Javadekar
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Narendra Modi

Prakash Javdekar is an official spokesperson of the BJP. He became the education minister in 2016. Apart from being a politician, he is also an author.

Ramesh Pokhriyal (30 May 2019- 7 July 2021)

• Date of Birth – 15th July 1959
• Full Name – Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank”
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Narendra Modi

Ramesh Pokhriyal worked as the education minister of India from 2010 to 2021. During his tenure, the name of the ministry changed from Ministry of Human Resource Development to Ministry of Education. He was also the 5th CM of Uttarakhand.

Dharmendra Pradhan (7 July 2021 – Present)

• Date of Birth – 26th June 1969
• Full Name – Dharmendra Pradhan
• Become Education Minister Under Prime Minister – Narendra Modi

Dharmendra Pradhan is the current education minister of India. As a member of parliament, Pradhan currently represents Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha. He previously served in the 14th Lok Sabha. He is the son of Dabendra Pradhan who was a minister under the Vajpayee government.

Duties of an Indian Education Minister

Here are the fundamental duties of an Education Minister in India.

• Preparing the National Policy on Education and implementing it throughout the nation.
• Providing financial assistance to deserving students from disadvantaged sections of society in the form of scholarships, loan subsidies, etc.
• Paying special attention to students who are poor or from minorities.
• Promoting international education cooperation, including collaborating closely with universities, foreign governments, and UNESCO to improve educational opportunities in the nation.
• Making sure there is no corruption in the education sector of the country.

Frequently Asked Questions