Prakash Javadekar meets Smriti Irani, assures to build upon her education initiatives

New Delhi: Prakash Javadekar, who has been appointed the new Human Resource Development Minister following Tuesday's Union Cabinet reshuffle, on Wednesday called on his predecessor Smriti Irani at her house here.

Javadekar held talks with Irani on several issues and assured her that he would build upon the initiatives undertaken by the HRD Ministry over the last two years.

I just met Smriti Irani ji and we had a discussion on many issues: Prakash Javadekar,HRD Minister pic.twitter.com/C6GOAyMJls — ANI (@ANI_news) July 6, 2016

Irani, on her part, extended best wishes to her successor and expressed satisfaction over Javdekar's assurance of building upon HRD Ministry's initiatives.

Extended best wishes to @PrakashJavdekar ji who assured that he will build upon the initiatives undertaken by @HRDMinistry in last 2 years.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 6, 2016

In last 2 years all initiatives of @HRDMinistry have been towards increasing learning outcomes for students & improving quality of education — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 6, 2016

I thank PM @narendramodi ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the country earlier in the @HRDMinistry & now in the @TexMinIndia. — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 6, 2016

Irani, who had a controversy-ridden tenure, has been shifted to the less prestigious Textiles Ministry.

Earlier in the day, while speaking to reporters, Javadekar said education is not a subject for party politics and added he was open to suggestions and consultations with everyone.

He also lauded the "good initiatives" taken by Irani.

"I am a product of student agitation, so we will always talk with everybody. So with dialogues in place, there will be no necessity of agitation," Javadekar said.

Irani's tenure was marked by controversies including the JNU row and protests in Hyderabad University following Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's death. There have also been allegations by opposition parties of saffronisation of education.

Javadekar said he believes that education should be student-centric and encourage innovation.