Pradeep Singh Kharola replaces incumbent NTA DG Subodh Kumar Singh, whose services have been put on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training
The Centre on Saturday replaced the director general of National Testing Agency (NTA) amid the NEET, UGC-NET row, naming 1985 batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Pradeep Singh Kharola as the new chief.
He replaces incumbent DG Subodh Kumar Singh, whose services have been put on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the following: Assignment of additional charge of the post of Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education to Shri Pradeep Singh Kharola. IAS (KN:85) (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, India Trade Promotion Organisation till appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the government said in a notification on Saturday.
The government’s decision comes hours after it announced the formation of a high-level panel led by former ISRO chairperson K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations.
The Narendra Modi government is under fire over a spate of controversies surrounding competitive examinations conducted by the NTA. There have been allegations of irregularities in the conduct of medical entrance examination NEET. While the alleged NEET paper leak is being investigated by the Bihar Police, the Centre cancelled the UGC-NET examination saying that the paper was leaked on the darknet.
On Friday, the NTA postponed the CSIR UGC-NET exam, which is conducted for junior research fellowship and admissions to PhD in science courses. The agency said the paper was deferred due to ‘unavoidable circumstances’ and ‘logistical issues’.
“There was no leak in CSIR-UGC NET, it was postponed because of logistic issues. There is also a retest of 1,563 NEET candidates tomorrow. For smooth conduct of the exam everywhere, the decision was taken,” education minister Dharmendra Pradhan was quoted by PTI as saying.
The “top leadership” of the National Testing Agency is under the scanner over alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET, Pradhan said while denying any paper leak in the CSIR-UGC NET.
