NEET exam row: Amid backlash, Centre takes proactive steps to ensure transparency


Amid the ongoing protests across several states over the postponement of NEET exams, the Centre has taken proactive steps, including the removal of the DG of the National Testing Agency and the formation of a high-level committee of experts to ensure transparency in the examinations.

The government has shunted out National Testing Agency (NTA) DG Subodh Kumar Singh. He is placed on ‘compulsory wait’ in DoPT.Pradeep Singh Kharola has been appointed as the new DG of the NTA.

The Ministry of Education has constituted a high-level committee of experts under the chairmanship of Dr K. Radhakrishnan, former chairman of ISRO, IIT Kanpur, to ensure transparent, smooth, and fair conduct of examinations.

The Committee consists of experts, including Dr Randeep Guleria, former Director, AIIMS and academicians like Aditya Mittal and Prof. Ramamurthy K from the IIT system who have spearheaded reforms to ensure the integrity of the IIT examinations.

The Committee will make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvements in data security protocols, and the structure and functioning of the NTA.

As an expedited action, the above High-Level Experts Committee will hold a meeting on June 24. The committee is required to make recommendations in two months.

On input from the I4C unit of the Ministry of Home Affairs about the UGC-NET 2024 examination, the Education Ministry handed over the case to the CBI for a detailed inquiry.