Subodh Kumar Singh removed as NTA chief, Pradeep Singh Kharola takes over amid NEET, NET paper leak row
NTA Director General Subodh Kumar Singh was removed from his position on Saturday and placed on «compulsory wait» in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). India Trade Promotion Organisation Chairman and MD Pradeep Singh Kharola has been assigned the additional charge of NTA DG. This move comes amidst a growing controversy over alleged irregularities in the conduct of exams.
Education Minister's Statement
Earlier, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the «top leadership» of the National Testing Agency is under scrutiny for alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET, while denying any paper leak in the CSIR-UGC NET, which was postponed a day earlier.
The minister said he is the custodian of students' interests and has to take that into account before taking any step. Amid a raging row over irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET, Pradhan had said earlier this week that he cannot jeopardise the careers of the lakhs of candidates who cleared the exam rightfully.
Postponement of CSIR-UGC NET
The June edition of the Joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and UGC-NET was postponed on Friday night. The Joint CSIR-UGC-NET is a test conducted to determine eligibility for junior research fellowship and assistant professor and admission to PhD in science courses.
«There was no leak in CSIR-UGC NET, it was postponed because of logistic issues. There is also a retest of 1,563 NEET candidates tomorrow. For smooth conduct of the exam everywhere, the decision was
