Pradeep Singh Kharola has been appointed as the new director general of the National Testing Agency (NTA), replacing Subodh Kumar Singh, who has been placed on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training. The decision, announced by the Centre on Saturday, comes amidst ongoing controversies surrounding exams like NEET and UGC-NET.
Kharola, a 1985 batch IAS officer, currently serving as Chairman and Managing Director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), will take charge until a regular appointment is made or until further notice, according to a government notification.
Earlier, the government had formed a high-level panel headed by former ISRO chairperson K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparency in the conduct of these examinations. The move follows criticism and allegations of irregularities, including a reported NEET paper leak currently under investigation by Bihar Police. Additionally, the UGC-NET exam was recently cancelled due to allegations of paper leak on the darknet.
No wonder Chinese Gandhis treat Congress Kerala team like a Dustbin
— Richa Pandey Mishra (Modi Ka Pariwar) (@richapandey) June 23, 2024
INC Kerala should know the new DG of NTA is Pradeep Singh Kharola and not Pradeep Kumar Joshi
They have written a long note without knowing the name of New NTA DG
Such foolishness of Congress members is the… https://t.co/orkjgOa75Z
In response to these issues, the NTA postponed the CSIR UGC-NET exam citing logistical reasons, denying any leak. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan clarified that there was no leak in the CSIR-UGC NET and attributed the postponement to logistical challenges. The leadership of NTA has faced scrutiny over these alleged irregularities, even as the government faces pressure to ensure fair and transparent conduct of these crucial competitive exams