NTA chief removed amid NEET-UG, UGC-NET irregularities allegations

The central government on Saturday announced the removal of National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Kumar Singh in the wake of allegations of irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG and UGC-NET examinations.

In its statement, the Ministry of Personnel announced that Singh’s services will be kept in compulsory wait in the department of personnel and training till further orders.

India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) chairman and managing director Pradeep Kumar Kharola has been given the additional charge of the testing agency till the appointment of a regular incumbent.

“The appointments committee of the cabinet has approved the assignment of additional charge of the post of Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education to Shri Pradeep Singh Kharola, IAS (Retd), chairman and managing director, India Trade Promotion Organisation, till the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the government stated in a notification on Saturday.

The move comes hours after the government announced the constitution of a high-level committee led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chairperson K Radhakrishnan to look into the functioning of the NTA.

The move is also part of a promised overhaul of the testing agency, which has been spoken about by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The agency had come under fire after allegations of paper leaks and other irregularities in conducting the NEET-UG examination for admission into medical and allied sciences colleges.

This was followed by the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam, which is used to determine the eligibility for the post of assistant professors and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in universities and colleges, after inputs from government agencies.