NEET Paper leak: Govt appoints Ruchita Vij, Anuja Bapat as new Joint Secretaries in NTA
New Delhi, May 16: Against the backdrop of a major controversy over the NEET-Under Graduate paper leak and exam cancellation, the government has made two crucial appointments at senior official level in the National Testing Agency (NTA), the nodal body responsible for conducting such major national-level entrance tests.
The government has appointed senior IRS officer Ruchita Vij as the Joint Secretary in the NTA, a post created specially through temporary upgradation.
Ruchita Vij, a 2004-batch officer, is currently with the Ministry of Finance.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has also approved the appointment of Anuja Bapat, an ISS officer, as the Joint Secretary in the NTA by temporarily upgrading the post of Deputy Secretary/Director in the body for an initial period of two years.
Anuja Bapat is an ISS officer of 1998 batch.
The appointment of these two senior officers as Joint Secretaries in the NTA, which comes under the Department of Higher Education in the Union Ministry of Education, will take effect from the date the officers assume charge and will be for a tenure of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
These crucial changes in the NTA come at a time when the body is facing intense criticism over the cancellation of May 3 NEET-UG Exam paper following paper leak.
The examination is conducted annually by NTA for admission of students to medical courses across the country.
The role of Ruchita Vij and Anuja Bapat will be very crucial as the NTA is preparing to conduct fresh NEET-UG exams on June 21, around three weeks from now.
These appointments are expected to strengthen leadership, governance, and operational efficiency at NTA as it continues to manage large-scale examinations and digital testing initiatives.
About NTA:
The NTA is an autonomous body under the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education.
Established in November 2017, the agency is responsible for conducting numerous national-level exams for admission and fellowship in higher educational institutions related to engineering, medicine, management, research and pharmacy.
The agency has often been in controversy, with critics questioning how it is managed.
There are questions regarding transparency and public accountability.
After the recent paper leak, the government had promised to undertake major changes in the NTA. (BVI)
