Previously he functioned Secretary of State for Higher Education from 2014 to 2016 and Secretary of State for Education from 2016 to 2018 within the Ministry of Human Resources under minister Zoltán Balog, in the Third Orbán Government.

Palkovics has been Minister for Innovation and Technology since May 2018, and previously Undersecretary of State for Education.

As Government Commissioner, he is responsible for the development of the Debrecen Automotive Centre, the participation of Hungary in the manufacture of autonomous vehicles, the construction of the Zalaegerszeg Test Track and the formulation of the concept of the ELI Science Park in Szeged.

In 1996, he was elected founding secretary general of the Hungarian Automotive Association and became chairman of the National Technical Development Committee in 2001.

He resigned his post on 9 November 2022, after Orbán supported the establishment of a separate Ministry of Energy, diminishing the scope of his commission.