NEET row: NTA terminates 47 officials, plans legal action in major crackdown

The National Testing Agency has terminated 47 officials and plans legal and criminal action against some amid the NEET paper leak controversy. The move marks the beginning of a major institutional overhaul, with fresh recruitment and structural reforms also underway

New Delhi: In a major crackdown in the NEET paper leak controversy, the National Testing Agency terminated 47 officials and is set to pursue legal and criminal action against some, officials said on Friday.

The move comes a day after Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi was shunted out to the Panchayati Raj Ministry. “The NTA is set to undergo an overhaul and more reformative actions will follow. At least 47 officials have been terminated, and legal and criminal action will be initiated against some of them,” a senior official said.

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Outrage surrounding paper leaks and the CBSE digital evaluation glitches has triggered a series of shunting of top officials. Students’ anger has spilt out in the form of a huge protest that is taking place at Jantar Mantar. The protesters and the opposition parties have been demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the issue.

The NTA has issued advertisements for a set of professional appointments at the level of General Manager and has separately opened the engagement of sixteen Young Professionals through the Pratibha Setu portal of the Union Public Service Commission. “Further recruitment and empanelment actions across the ten functional verticals recommended by the High-Level Committee of Experts will follow in the coming weeks.

“The measures notified today, together with the Expression of Interest for a fresh empanelment of Subject Matter Experts and Translators issued separately, are part of a systematic strengthening of the academic, operational, technological and integrity capabilities of the NTA,” the official added.