Exam jitters: Centre removes NTA chief, postpones NEET-PG
NEW DELHI: Within hours of setting up a high-level committee under a former Isro chief to ensure the fair conduct of examinations, govt on Saturday replaced National Testing Agency (NTA) director general Subodh Singh amid a controversy over alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET. The crisis of credibility facing the NTA compounded with govt postponing the NEET-PG entrance exam, scheduled to be held Sunday, as a "precautionary measure".
This is the third such jolt affecting lakhs of aspirants across the country in four days: UGC-NET was cancelled on June 19, a day after the exam, due to paper leak; and CSIR-NET, to be held June 25-27 was postponed on June 21.
Exam jitters: Centre removes NTA chief, postpones NEET-PG
More than two lakh students have registered to appear for NEET-PG, which has been postponed with less than 24 hours to go.
The govt also handed over investigations into alleged irregularities in NEET-UG held on May 5 to CBI. This is the second national-level exam conducted by NTA to be handed to CBI. Two days ago, the UGC-NET probe, too, was handed over to CBI.
ITPO chief Kharola given additional charge of NTA
Just before the removal of Singh, who has not been assigned a fresh posting, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan acknowledged mistakes indeed have happened. “I have already said there has been an institutional failure. I have taken responsibility. NTA’s leadership is under the scanner for a host of issues. Accidents happen and we will go to the root of the cause.”
India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) chairperson and MD, Pradeep Singh Kharola, who was roped in to complete the Pragati Maidan project after it got delayed, has been assigned additional charge of NTA till the appointment of a regular incumbent.
Education ministry Saturday announced the formation of a 7-member high-level committee headed by K Radhakrishnan, former chairperson of Isro and chairperson of the Board of Governors at IIT-Kanpur, to provide recommendations on reforms in the exam process, improvements in data security protocols, and the structure and functioning of NTA. The committee also comprises Dr Randeep Guleria, former director of AIIMS Delhi; B J Rao, vice-chancellor of Central University of Hyderabad; Ramamurthy K, Professor Emeritus in the department of civil engineering at IIT-Madras; Pankaj Bansal, co-founder of PeopleStrong and board member of Karmayogi Bharat; and Aditya Mittal, dean of student affairs at IIT-Delhi. Govind Jaiswal, joint secretary, will serve as the member secretary of the committee.
The committee is expected to submit its report to the ministry within two months.
The formation of the high-level committee, reported first by TOI on June 18, 2024, follows irregularities and alleged paper leaks in the NEET-UG. The committee’s terms of reference include reviewing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and protocols of NTA, conducting an end-to-end analysis of the exam process, and suggesting measures to improve system efficiency and prevent breaches. It will also evaluate and enhance the existing data security processes and protocols of NTA, those related to paper-setting and other examination processes.