Amidst student protests regarding the NEET paper leak case, the NTA has taken significant action. The National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting the NEET exam, has removed 47 employees. Legal and criminal proceedings will also be initiated against some of them. Furthermore, additional measures may be taken to improve the NTA’s operational systems; this move is part of a broader plan to overhaul the agency. The government is now preparing to implement sweeping changes within the NTA. The agency is set to be restructured next month, and its outsourcing protocols will also be revised. These actions are being taken based on the recommendations of a high-level expert committee, aiming to establish a leak-proof examination system for the future. It is worth noting that the NTA conducts approximately 15 to 20 major national-level examinations across the country, including JEE, NEET, and CUET.
Only 24 Permanent Employees Work at NTA
According to information provided in Parliament, only 24 of the 39 sanctioned permanent posts at the NTA are currently filled, leaving 15 vacancies. To ensure smooth operations, the agency currently employs 73 contractual staff and 124 outsourced personnel. The contractual staff includes consultants, software developers, and young professionals. Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar informed the Rajya Sabha that, to strengthen the NTA, the central government has created 16 new posts at the Director and Joint Director levels, which will be filled soon.
Administrative Reshuffle in the Ministry of Education
In the wake of persistent irregularities and controversies surrounding examinations, a major reshuffle of officials has also taken place within the Ministry of Education. Meanwhile, opposition parties continue to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. As part of these administrative measures, the central government removed Vineet Joshi from the post of Higher Education Secretary late Thursday night and appointed him as Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Vineet Joshi has held several key positions during his tenure, including Chairman of the CBSE, the first Director General of the NTA, and Acting Chairman of the UGC. It was during his tenure that the CUET examination was introduced—a move that drew criticism. He has now been succeeded by Naresh Kumar Gangwar as the new Higher Education Secretary and T.K. Anil Kumar as the School Education Secretary. These decisive actions by the government clearly indicate that the administration is now fully committed to bringing transparency to the examination system.
