Paper leak controversy: Pradeep Singh Kharola has been given the additional charge as director general (DG) of the National Testing Agency (NTA). Subodh Kumar Singh, the previous National Testing Agency (NTA) DG, has been removed and placed on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) amid controversy over exam irregularities.
India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) Chairman and Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola has been assigned additional charge of the testing agency till the appointment of a regular incumbent.
The decision was taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. The services of Singh have been placed on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training, according to a notification issued by the Appointments Committee.
Here are some key facts about Pradeep Singh Kharola-
- Pradeep Kharola, a 1985 batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, was appointed the head of Air India in November 2017.
- During Kharola's tenure, the government failed in its first attempt to privatise Air India, Mint reported.
- In 2019, Kharola was appointed as the new civil aviation secretary.
- From 2022, he is serving as the chairman of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).
- Kharola has been assigned additional charge of the testing agency till the appointment of a regular incumbent.
The government has cancelled the UGC-NET even as there are allegations of paper leak in NEET-UG as well and demand for its cancellation. On Friday (June 21), the government announced postponment of CSIR-UGC NET also which was scheduled for June 25-27.
Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said earlier that the top leadership of NTA is under scrutiny for alleged irregularities in the NEET and NET exams. However, he denied any paper leak in the CSIR-UGC NET, which was postponed.
The National Testing Agency (NTA), established in November 2017 under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860, is an autonomous body tasked with conducting various entrance examinations for admissions to higher educational institutions. NTA conducts exams such as NEET, JEE, CTET, GATE, GPAT, GMAT, CAT, UGC-NET and CSIR-UGC NET.
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