Facing criticism over alleged discrepancies in competitive exams, the Centre on Saturday removed National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Singh and tasked the CBI with probing irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam.
The Education Ministry also formed a seven-member committee led by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan to review the NTA's operations and suggest exam reforms. The panel includes former AIIMS Delhi director Randeep Guleria, Central University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor B J Rao and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Civil Engineering at IIT Madras K Ramamurthy. People Strong co-founder and Karmayogi Bharat board member Pankaj Bansal, IIT Delhi Dean of Student Affairs Aditya Mittal and Ministry of Education Joint Secretary Govind Jaiswal are also among its members.
The NEET-PG entrance exam, the fourth affected in recent days, was also postponed.
“We stand for transparent, tamper-free and zero error examination. A panel has been formed on exam reforms, strict action has been taken against officials and the case has been handed over to CBI," Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated.
"Students' interest will be safeguarded at any cost,” he added.
The opposition, particularly the Congress party, criticized the government, accusing it of destroying the education system under Modi's administration. Officials noted that Subodh Kumar Singh, the now-former NTA DG, has been placed on "compulsory wait" in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) until further notice. Pradeep Singh Kharola, Chairman and Managing Director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), has been given additional responsibility for the NTA until a permanent replacement is appointed.
Reports of irregularities, cheating, impersonation, and malpractice in the NEET-UG exam conducted on May 5 prompted the Education Ministry to hand over the matter to the CBI for a thorough investigation. The Union Health Ministry also postponed the NEET-PG entrance exam as a precaution following recent allegations regarding the integrity of competitive exams.
This decision follows the postponement of the June edition of the Joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and UGC-NET, which determines eligibility for junior research fellowships, assistant professorships, and PhD admissions in science courses. Pradhan clarified that there was no leak of the CSIR-NET paper, attributing the postponement to logistical issues, and promised strict action against anyone involved in NEET-UG irregularities.
The UGC-NET was canceled a day after it was conducted due to concerns about the exam’s integrity. This matter is also under CBI investigation. Bihar Police detained six more individuals from Jharkhand's Deoghar district regarding the alleged NEET paper leak. Last month, 13 people were arrested by the Economic Offences Unit, including the main suspect, Sikandar Yadavendu. The unit is considering narco analysis and brain mapping tests for the accused and investigating possible money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Education Minister Pradhan emphasized that forming the high-level committee of experts is the first step towards improving the examination process, eradicating malpractices, enhancing data security, and reforming the NTA. The panel includes prominent figures such as former AIIMS Delhi director Randeep Guleria and Central University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor B J Rao, among others.
Pradhan reiterated his commitment to protecting students' interests, acknowledging an "institutional failure" within the NTA. The Education Ministry is awaiting a report from Bihar Police's Economic Offences Unit on the NEET paper leak investigation, assuring that those responsible for any irregularities will be held accountable.
Regarding the incident in Gujarat's Godhra, Pradhan clarified it was a case of organized cheating, not a paper leak. Thirty students were barred for their involvement, adding to the 63 nationwide banned for using unfair means. The NEET-UG, conducted on May 5 across 4,750 centers with about 24 lakh candidates, had unprecedented results with 67 students scoring a perfect 720, raising suspicions of irregularities. Controversy also arose over grace marks awarded at six centers due to time loss, which the Centre later scrapped, offering affected students a retest.
The NTA will conduct this retest on Sunday. The NEET-UG exam is a crucial test for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and related courses in both government and private institutions across India.
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